A Warblers' Reunion
by HarmonyLover
Summary: When Wes and David plan a Warblers' ten-year reunion and ask Kurt and Blaine to sing, the two Broadway stars know their friends are scheming. They decide to do some scheming and plan some surprises of their own.
1. Together Again

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of _Glee_; it all belongs to 20th Century Fox, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, et al. I write these stories purely for enjoyment; no copyright infringement is intended. The songs, of course, are not mine either, and all due credit goes to the wonderful writers and performers of those songs.

**Author's Note: **This story idea wouldn't leave me alone. I wrote the first bit of it in a PM reply to bjaarcy, who told me that I absolutely had to finish it, and apparently my muse thought so, too.

Yet again, for my own head canon sanity, Blaine and Kurt were in the same year in school. Both juniors when they met, both seniors in S3 when Blaine transfers to McKinley. For the purposes of this fic, I'm also making life easier and pretending that Wes was in the same class as Blaine. Also, RADA does have a two-term foundation course in acting, though not one that lasts an entire calendar year.

Can anyone give me the reference for Neil Perry? Where did I borrow him from? :)

My deepest thanks to WickedforGood13, who as usual has been a lovely advance reader for this tale.

* * *

><p><strong>A Warblers' Reunion<strong>

_June 2022_

Blaine leaned back in his desk chair and groaned, pressing the heels of his hands to his forehead.

"I'm going to kill them," he moaned.

"Kill who?" Kurt inquired, appearing behind him with a spoonful of cookie batter.

"Wes and David," Blaine answered through gritted teeth, his frustration evident.

"What have the Tweedles done to earn your annoyance this time?" Kurt inquired. "You really should be used to it after so long."

"They're planning a Warblers' reunion," Blaine explained, his face now buried in his palms. "A ten-year _Warblers' reunion_."

Kurt's eyes lit up. "Really? When? Where?"

"At Dalton, of course," Blaine retorted. "Next month, and they want us to sing. I swear Wes just wants another chance to wield his gavel."

"Of course we'll sing!" Kurt exclaimed. "It will be fantastic. We still have all the old arrangements in the filing cabinet. I just have to dig them out."

Blaine shook his head. "No, Kurt, they want _us _to sing. You and me. With the Warblers, true, but they want the pair of us to sing."

Kurt looked puzzled. "What's wrong with that? We sing together all the time, Blaine. Onstage and off," he added with a wink.

Blaine gave him a pointed stare before answering. "This is Wes and David we're talking about. They're scheming. You've met my two other best friends, right? Planners extraordinaire?"

Comprehension dawned. "Oooh," Kurt said slowly, a look of fond exasperation on his face. "The anniversary."

"Exactly," Blaine nodded. "Our eleventh anniversary together – although that was in April, not June - and the tenth year after our graduation." His eyes narrowed as he thought of the many, many choice things he would like to say to his supposed best friends the next time they were on the phone.

Kurt, meanwhile, stood thinking, and gradually a devious smirk worked its way onto his face. "So we outscheme them. Beat them at their own game."

"How?" Blaine asked, his face lighting up. Kurt was almost always unstoppable when that particular look showed itself.

"How would you feel about moving up our plans a little bit?" Kurt asked, a softer smile appearing as he asked the question.

Blaine's eyes warmed as he looked at Kurt, but he raised an eyebrow. "You're not suggesting –"

"No!" Kurt refuted quickly. "That would be going too far, even in the name of besting Wes and David. No, just . . . announcing a bit sooner?"

Blaine grinned. "What did you have in mind?"

* * *

><p>"Four songs, Wes. Two duets and two solos. Oh, and I'm going to need a piano," Blaine added as an afterthought.<p>

"And you're not going to tell me what these songs _are_?" Wes said crossly, giving Blaine his best Head Warbler stare through their Skype connection.

"No," Blaine said firmly. "Absolutely not. In this case you're going to have to live with it. Kurt and I want them to be a surprise."

Wes's expression became even more dissatisfied. "We're a _choir_, Blaine. We need actual songs to practice, even if we're practicing as individuals. I know this isn't the ideal setup, but if two of our lead singers refuse to tell us what they're singing, this moves from 'less than ideal' to 'seriously problematic.'"

"Wes," Blaine said soothingly, recognizing the signs of a maniacal Wes-tantrum and giving his best friend a charming smile. "Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Blaine Anderson, musical star of stage and screen? And let's not forget that we're also talking about Kurt Hummel, the current darling of Broadway. We'll be fine. You can trust us to pull it off. You can do other group numbers, and Kurt and I will just be in the background for those. We can pick them up fairly quickly, I'm sure."

It was due to the many years of knowing Wes that Blaine was able to sound simultaneously reassuring and slightly mocking. Wes heard the affectionate ridicule as well as the sincerity, and rolled his eyes in resignation. They could do it, even if he wasn't _at all_ happy about it.

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," Wes grumbled, scowling darkly. "So help me, Blaine, if the two of you – if _either_ of you – freak out the day of the reunion and decide that you can't sing or you won't sing, or if you have a fight the day before and refuse to sing, I will have your heads. Both of them. Mounted. On. My. Wall."

"I know," Blaine said, still calming his friend's agitation. "It will be fine, Wes."

"It has to be fine. There are _many_ Warbler alumni coming to this reunion, Blaine, people who expect us to give an incredible performance. There are also a significant number of other wealthy alumni, at Headmaster Davis's request. Additional alumni mean potential donations; you know that as well as I do. I will not have two of my soloists and most famous performers spoiling what should be a perfect Warblers show."

"It will be fine. It will be brilliant. We will make you cry," Blaine promised. "You have my word, Wes."

Wes snorted. "You have made me do many things in our years together, Blaine Anderson, but cry is not one of them."

Blaine smiled wickedly. "Consider this an advance warning. It will be a first."

"Ri-ight," Wes drawled sarcastically. "Can't wait."

Blaine laughed. "How many Warblers are coming to this thing, anyway?"

"Somewhere between eighty and one hundred, I think," Wes said, rubbing his face tiredly. "A good number of them are also bringing spouses. I'm never doing this again. I don't know what possessed David and I to start this."

"You missed us and our perpetual craziness?" Blaine guessed, teasing again. "It does get us all back to Dalton again."

"I'll never admit it," Wes said firmly, though he was smiling.

"What was the plan behind who was invited?" Blaine asked, his mind still on logistics. "Eighty to one hundred – that's what, about five classes of Warblers?"

"Right in one," Wes affirmed. "I started with the roster from our junior year, and then went two classes back and two classes forward. All the Warblers from when we were freshman through to the Warblers who were there the year after we graduated. Of course, that also encompasses a few random members of outlying classes, like the Warblers who were seniors our first year."

Blaine frowned, puzzled. "Why our junior year, Wes? I mean, you planned this so that it coincided with the tenth anniversary of graduation. Wouldn't it have made more sense to use the senior roster and work from that?"

Wes gave him a long-suffering look over the webcam. "Blaine. Your tendency to be utterly oblivious has caused me more than a few headaches in the past, but – _really_?"

"It's a perfectly fair question," Blaine said defensively.

"Yes, coming from anyone else," Wes shot back. "What happened at the end of junior year, Mr. I'm-still-so-in-love-with-my-partner-it's-sickening-to-behold?"

The reference to Kurt made everything click into place in Blaine's head, and his jaw dropped.

"Kurt transferred back to McKinley," he said slowly, still trying to process that Wes, with his obsessive need for organization and order, would choose such an utterly sentimental starting point for an event this big.

"Yes," Wes said with exaggerated patience. "And what happened a few months after that?"

"I transferred to McKinley for our last year."

"So neither of you are on the senior roster," Wes quietly finished for him. "I wasn't having that. Our group of Warblers was not complete without you and Kurt. We did well senior year, but it wasn't the same."

Blaine smiled again, and this smile was pure fondness, without any teasing, irony, or sarcasm. "Thank you. That's . . . it's a beautiful thought, Wes. Thank you. Do you mind if I tell Kurt?"

"No," Wes shook his head. "Tell anyone else and I will deny this conversation ever happened."

"And the authoritarian Wes is back, just like that," Blaine chuckled. "I always knew you were a softie underneath, Wes Montgomery."

"Using another roster would have jinxed the whole thing," Wes retorted, waving a hand dismissively at Blaine's attempt to get a rise out of him.

"Kurt sends his love, Wes. We'll talk soon," Blaine said, still chuckling.

"We'd better," Wes threatened, but he grinned at Blaine before signing off.

* * *

><p>The day of the reunion dawned bright and clear, sunny as only a day in mid-June could be. Wes and David had arranged an entire weekend for the reunion; since Dalton's school year was already over, the former Warblers could occupy their old dormitories.<p>

Thankfully, Wes and David had also had the foresight to arrange for double beds; enough coupled adults stayed within the walls of Dalton at various points in the year that all it took was a request to maintenance. In this case, they had asked the attendees ahead of time, in order to ensure that the school had a correct count for both single and double rooms. Blaine and Kurt had been more than happy to avail themselves of the double option, since sharing a bed in the Dalton dorms was never _technically_ something they had been allowed to do as students. (Of course, if they had occasionally fallen asleep next to each other during a movie viewing or sought each other out during sleepless nights, well, it was a point of honor among their roommates and friends not to report them. Warblers took care of their own.)

Blaine woke first, stretching luxuriously before rolling onto his side to gaze at Kurt, who was still sleeping soundly. Even after eleven years, Blaine never got tired of seeing Kurt so peaceful and relaxed. It was a complete contrast to the vibrant, energetic person Kurt was while awake, though both were equally beautiful.

Blaine ran his fingers gently through Kurt's hair in a little morning ritual they had established years ago. Kurt stirred slowly, sighing as he opened his eyes to look at Blaine.

"Good morning," Blaine said softly, smiling at him. "Ready for the big day?"

"Obviously not," Kurt said sleepily, his lips twitching as he looked down at his t-shirt and pajama pants. "What would Wes say?"

Blaine laughed. "I would think you would be more worried about what Wes would _do_, if you actually showed up to perform in pajamas."

"It would never happen," Kurt declared. "However, I'm perfectly willing to stay here if you'd rather," he smiled, his eyes bright as he pulled Blaine in for a kiss.

"Mmm . . ." Blaine murmured against his mouth, sinking happily into Kurt's embrace. The next moment, however, he was shaking his head and pulling away, evading Kurt's grasp as he sat up. "No, no, no, no, no. We can't – Wes will have our heads, and these people are our friends, Kurt! We never get to see them!"

It was Kurt's turn to laugh, both at Blaine's puppy-dog eyes and the palpable excitement rolling off of him. Kurt sat up and planted another warm kiss on Blaine's lips. "I love you, Blaine Warbler. Come on, let's go join the madness. Considering the number of favors we had to collect in order to be here, it would be a shame to miss all the fun." Kurt hopped off the bed and went over to his suitcase to hunt for clothes.

Both Kurt and Blaine had to work their way out of some major commitments when Wes had told them about the reunion. Kurt was currently starring in a revival of _Victor/Victoria_ that had earned him all the acclaim he could have ever hoped for. The director, Neil Perry, was one of Kurt's former instructors from NYADA, and he had wanted Kurt for the lead role from the moment he had been hired to do the show. Perry had changed the usual plot so that Kurt was a man, pretending to be a woman, who was pretending to be a man. Even more importantly, he had also recruited Rachel Berry, who had jumped in with both feet when she learned that she and Kurt would be able to fulfill their old dream of doing a Broadway show together. The show's love interest character, usually a male gangster named King Marchand, had become Kimberley Marchand, and audiences had gone wild from the very first night.

The show had already been running for five months in May, and Kurt had pleaded with Neil to put in his understudy for just one weekend. Brian Thomas was a young countertenor with incredible potential, and Kurt wanted to give him a chance to shine. Six months was an incredibly long time for a show to retain both its co-stars, and neither Kurt nor Rachel had missed a performance, save one each. Neil had, in the end, acquiesced, for even he recognized the need of giving Kurt a break from their exhausting performance schedule.

Blaine had earned Broadway stardom as well, but he had also found success in film. His first big Broadway role had been as Sky Masterson in a revival of _Guys and Dolls_, and he had been cast for the film adaptation shortly after the show closed. He then followed up that performance with a big-screen Regency drama, and he had just returned to the musical stage in March for the happily familiar role of Tony in _West Side Story_. Though Kurt teased him about reprising his old part from their senior year musical, Blaine knew that his partner loved watching him perform, and Blaine cherished the role for the very memories it brought back. When the curtain went up on opening night, Kurt, Wes, David, and Mercedes were there to see him perform, with Rachel, Santana, and Brittany coming to the show the following night. Kurt had indulged in his own sentimentality by bringing Blaine an enormous bouquet of roses after the first show, one that was easily twice the size of the one he had presented to Blaine after his high school audition. Blaine was able to bring all of his subsequent experience and training into the role, and he played Tony with a zest, verve, and freshness that won him rave reviews and adoration.

However, because Blaine had not been starring in his role nearly as long as Kurt had been with his show, it had required much more persuasion, pleading, and string-pulling to be able to come to Dalton. In the end, it had taken the combined efforts of Blaine, his understudy, and Kurt to wring consent from director Kate Morgan – and that was only after they had disclosed their plans to her, with her promise that she would keep them absolutely secret. Practically the entire New York theater world knew that Kurt and Blaine were together, and the boys were taking no chances that their scheme would get back to Wes and David.

"We're not going to have any time off again for months, but I think it's worth it," Blaine said cheerfully, as Kurt sorted through outfits.

Kurt turned around at the remark and stepped back over to Blaine, his eyes soft. "It _is_ worth it," he agreed quietly, entwining his fingers with Blaine's.

Looking up at him from his seat, Blaine could see all of the love and emotion in Kurt's eyes, the love that only seemed to grow stronger the longer they were together, and it took his breath away.

This time, he was the one to pull Kurt down to the bed, and Kurt, true to his word, did not object in the slightest.

* * *

><p>They still made it to breakfast on time, somehow, although Kurt willingly admitted that it was only because he hadn't done a full hygiene routine. He could go through all the required steps later, before they performed, so basic showers served them both, and they ventured into Dalton's dining hall while most of the reunited Warblers were still eating and reminiscing.<p>

"Blaine! Kurt!"

Without warning, both men found themselves with armfuls of David and Wes, who had come at them at full speed.

"Ooof! David, room to breathe, please," Kurt laughed, hugging the tall Warbler who was happily smothering him.

"You can handle it, tough guy. You're almost as tall as I am," David said, hugging him even harder.

"Wes, have you been playing with octopus genes again?" Blaine asked jokingly, since Wes seemed to have permanently attached himself to Blaine's ribcage.

"Not lately. Mostly starfish," Wes grumbled good-naturedly, alluding to his work as a marine biologist and researcher. "Serves you right if I had, though, being all the way in New York while I'm in L. A."

"You knew we were going to New York before graduation," Blaine reminded him cheekily. "Moving to California was your ill-considered decision."

"All right, all right, friend swap," David demanded, releasing Kurt and holding out his arms for Blaine. Wes released his friend and was promptly hugged by Kurt, while Blaine and David exchanged hugs and hellos.

"I missed you, Wes, but the minute your gavel makes a reappearance, I will not be responsible for my actions," Kurt warned him.

"And the snark begins!" Wes crowed gleefully. "There's the Kurt Hummel I know and love. Where would we all be without that diva attitude?"

"Still two-stepping behind Blaine," Kurt said promptly, giving his partner a wink. Blaine only rolled his eyes.

"Ouch!" Wes cried, staggering back melodramatically with a hand pressed to his heart. "You wound me, Kurt, you really do – or you would, except we all knew that Blaine was going to be the star from the Warblers," Wes said, grinning impishly at Blaine.

"Cue the embarrassment," Blaine sighed, putting his face in his hands. "There will be retaliation for this, I swear."

"Ooh, Blaine," David cooed at him, mussing his hair briefly before Blaine ducked away from him. "We made you our pet, we loved you. Who better to embarrass you?"

"I hate you both," Blaine moaned.

"We're equal opportunity tormentors, though," David laughed. He turned to Kurt. "It only got worse once you showed up, you know. First we had a lead singer who practically exhaled charisma, and then we adopted the worst spy in the world who also happened to –"

"I was not the worst spy in the world," Kurt interrupted indignantly.

" – who also happened to have one of the most amazing voices any of us had ever heard," David continued smoothly, ignoring him. "So then we had two stars who were going to outshine us all, and who made each other look even better just by being in the same room."

"You really were a terrible spy," Wes added. "Endearing, but terrible. And it took _both_ of you –" with a pointed look at Blaine – "so long to get your acts together that we almost despaired."

"Okay, enough," Kurt commanded, his cheeks now as pink as Blaine's as he thought about several of the more awkward moments early in their friendship. "We're fabulous, we know. You have blackmail material enough to fill several filing cabinets, we know. You're lucky we love you so much, or we'd have some serious motivation to put out hits on you both."

"Ah, blackmail," Wes sighed, rubbing his palms together like a caricature of a James Bond villain.

"You would never put out hits on us," David contradicted Kurt. "You would miss us too much."

"Some days I really don't know why," Kurt responded dryly. "Don't forget that we also have quite a bit of incriminating evidence on the pair of you, Tweedles."

"We _are_ fabulous, though. At least they're right about that," Blaine said, his eyes dancing as he slid an arm around Kurt's waist.

"We are," Kurt agreed, struggling to keep a straight face. "It should be acknowledged."

They smiled at each other, exchanging a quick kiss, and Wes made a noise of disgust.

"Oh, ew. Go be cute around Nick and Jeff," he demanded, making a shooing motion.

"Are they here, too?" Blaine said eagerly, craning his neck to look around the crowded hall.

"They're sitting at our table," David answered. "They decided to let us accost you first. And your girl is dying to see you, Kurt, but running really isn't possible for her right now."

Kurt gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. "'Cedes! I completely forgot she was coming with you, and I just talked to her last week. Oh, I clearly haven't had coffee yet this morning. We got in so late last night and were both so exhausted, I didn't even think to . . ."

"It's all right," David reassured him. "We were asleep long before you two crawled in, I know. Come on."

David led the way toward the back of the dining room, to a table near the windows that was flooded with morning sunshine. Nick and Jeff were talking quietly with Mercedes as the group approached, but they looked up with whoops of delight as they caught sight of Kurt and Blaine.

"Boo, if I didn't have another person to carry around right now, I would have cut you dead for greeting David before me," Mercedes said sharply as she stood up, but the large smile on her face took any sting out of her words. Kurt unabashedly wrapped her up in a hug, holding on tight.

"I know, 'Cedes, and I love you so much," he apologized. "You look beautiful! How's my little nephew or niece doing?" he asked, affectionately patting Mercedes' round stomach.

"I wish he or she would put in an appearance," Mercedes said emphatically. "Only two more months, thank goodness."

"Well, between you and David, that little singer is going to have one amazing set of pipes," Blaine said, hugging Mercedes in his turn and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Kurt and I brought you gifts for the little one," he whispered in her ear before letting her go, and Mercedes beamed at him.

While Blaine and Kurt were distracted by Mercedes, David quickly pulled Wes aside.

"We're still fine," he murmured conspiratorially. "Mercedes has our other surprise well in hand."

"Good," Wes nodded. "I wish I knew what they were doing," he added in frustration, glancing at Kurt and Blaine. "Not knowing their songs completely scuttled Plan A."

"It will be all right," David reassured him. "We're just trying to give them a nudge, and hopefully the plans will help with that. Besides, there are other ways to get our point across. Watch."

David turned back to Mercedes, putting an arm around his wife's shoulders. "You are all going to have your hands full being uncles," he said to Kurt, Blaine, Nick, and Jeff, who were now all talking cheerfully together.

"Tell us about it," Nick said, rolling his eyes. "Angela can't wait; all she's been talking about is when we're going to see Uncle David and Aunt Mercedes and the new baby."

Mercedes laughed. "That's probably partly my fault. You know she and I talk almost every week, and I tell her everything I'm doing for the baby. She eats it up. She's amazingly coherent and smart for a three-year-old."

"Exactly like her daddy," Nick said warmly, twining his fingers in Jeff's and giving his partner a quick kiss on the cheek. Angela had been conceived using in vitro fertilization and a surrogate, and because Nick and Jeff now lived in Connecticut, they were able to be married and both have legal parental rights to their daughter.

Jeff reddened, but smiled nonetheless. "She's amazing," he said frankly. "Exhausting, but amazing. We were glad to have a reason to get away for a weekend, but I miss her already."

"So do I," Nick admitted, grinning. "Not that we won't be overwhelmed again the minute we walk in the door."

"It would be hard not to love that little munchkin," Kurt said, thinking fondly of the blonde, green-eyed little girl he'd often talked to over Skype. "She's a doll."

"A doll who gets spoiled by her Uncle Kurt," Nick said, sending a teasing frown at his friend. "You can't tell me Blaine is responsible for those outfits that she parades around in."

Blaine laughed. "Just a willing accomplice, but the fashion sense is all Kurt's," he said.

"Have you two ever thought about it?" Wes inquired, catching David's eye for a split second before turning his full attention on Blaine and Kurt. "Having kids?"

Somewhat to his surprise, both his friends looked a little bashful at the question. "We've talked about it," Blaine said quietly. "I think we've just gotten to the point financially and professionally where we would seriously consider it. We didn't want to bring a child into a home that wasn't as stable as possible."

"We've both worked so hard to get where we are," Kurt added seriously. "There were a lot of months where we were struggling to pay the bills, there was the year Blaine was in London and I got sick, and he's been away for filming twice while I was working here. We're both getting more offers, now, and we can pick and choose what we want to do and where it is. That matters. If we had a child or adopted a child, we would both want to be home as much as possible."

"You can talk to us about it any time," Nick offered, and Jeff nodded emphatically in agreement. "We'll tell you anything you'd like to know. We thought about and researched adoption too, before we found a surrogate for Angela."

"Thank you," Blaine said, giving his friend's arm a quick squeeze of gratitude.

"It would help if you two made yourselves official," Mercedes said, poking Kurt in the ribs, and David hid a smile. Trust Mercedes to do some of the work for him. "Eleven years, boo, and you live in New York, for heaven's sake! It's all been legal there for a while."

"We know," Kurt broke in, smiling a little, rolling his eyes at the rant he had heard quite a few times before. "We have been a little busy, Mercedes. And trust me when I tell you that I don't need a ceremony to know that Blaine isn't going anywhere and neither am I," he finished, smiling and pressing a swift kiss to Blaine's temple.

David snorted. "Points to Kurt for understatement of the decade."

"If you two can find time to go to a lawyer and have all of your medical paperwork done, you can find time to go to a Justice of the Peace," Mercedes insisted, choosing to poke Blaine this time.

Blaine smiled at her, giving in to the urge to wind both arms around Kurt and nestle into his side. "We'll get around to it sometime."

* * *

><p>As they finished the last of their eggs and English muffins, Blaine turned to Kurt and smiled, lacing their fingers together under the table. "Take a walk with me?" he asked quietly.<p>

Kurt looked at him, surprised, but he smiled happily. "Of course."

Blaine stood eagerly. "Guys, if you'll excuse us," he said, and Mercedes rolled her eyes at him.

"I am not one of your guys, white boy," she reproved him.

"Of course you're not," Blaine corrected himself quickly, eliciting a laugh from Kurt. Blaine moved around the table to hug Mercedes from behind before taking Kurt's hand again.

"Don't forget that the reception begins at four," Wes reminded them. "Until then everyone is pretty much free to do as they will."

"We'll be there, Wes," Kurt promised, grinning at him before allowing Blaine to lead him out of the dining room.

"Blaine, where are we going?" Kurt whispered excitedly.

"A couple of places," Blaine smiled softly. "Come on."

Blaine hurried through the hallways, tugging Kurt with him gently, and it didn't take long before Kurt knew exactly where they were going. He laughed as they emerged into Dalton's main atrium, with its wide, curving staircase. "Really, Blaine?"

"You aren't allowed to tease me," Blaine said, the nostalgic smile never leaving his features as he moved over to the stairs. He pulled Kurt partway up, then stood two stairs below him, still holding his hands.

"There," he breathed. His eyes held so much love as he looked at Kurt that they seemed to glow with it, and Kurt felt his breath catch in his throat. "You're even more beautiful now than you were then."

Unbidden, Kurt felt tears fill his eyes, but he laughed briefly in spite of them. "Did you even notice, Mr. 'The Warblers are like rock stars'?

Blaine's lips twitched as he remembered their first conversation, but his hands tightened around Kurt's. "I always noticed. I might have taken an unforgivably long time to sort out my feelings for you, Kurt, but you were always beautiful to me – from that very first moment."

Kurt closed his eyes, the tears trickling down his cheeks, and surged forward. He stepped down, wrapped his arms around Blaine, and kissed him in one swift motion.

They stood on the stairs together for a few minutes, holding each other in silence and thinking about all of the days they had spent together in these halls, until Blaine leaned up and pressed a kiss to Kurt's nose. "Let's go."

"Where to now?" Kurt asked.

"Our other destination," Blaine answered, giving him a wink. "We need to say hello to an old friend."

Blaine led the way a second time, bringing them outside behind Dalton's impressive main hall, into the warm June sunshine. He led Kurt to a familiar copse of trees, and a much smaller smile, one tinged with sadness, crossed Kurt's features when he realized their location.

"Hello Pavarotti," he said quietly.

The trees here had grown considerably in ten years, now spreading full summer canopies overhead and filtering the sunlight into beautiful dappled patterns on the grass. A small headstone sat where they had buried Pavarotti so many years ago:

_Pavarotti_

_Beloved Warbler, friend, musician, and pet_

Kurt had never forgotten the little bird who had been so important to him while he was at Dalton, and their first year at college he had contacted as many Warblers from their year as he could, asking them to give a small donation for a headstone. The vast majority of the Warblers from their senior year had responded, thinking it was a wonderful idea to honor their mascot, and Kurt and Blaine had chosen the stone and had it placed their first summer home. (They had also endured merciless teasing from their former choir mates about the need to memorialize their matchmaker, but they accepted the ribbing with smiles. Somehow, they thought Pavarotti would be smiling, too.)

"I miss you still, Pav," Kurt said, reaching out for Blaine's hand as he spoke. "You always loved to sing in the morning, and I miss talking to you. We could never have a bird in New York, I don't think – I don't know how the birds there survive all the toxic air."

Blaine knelt, keeping hold of Kurt's hand, and brushed small particles of dirt off the marker.

"You were the best mascot we ever had, Pavi," he said affectionately. "All the Warblers think so. There have been others after you, but none who are so remembered. I don't know where Kurt and I would have been without you, and I can never thank you enough for that. If I hadn't realized what it was I really felt for him, I might have lost the most precious person in the world to me – or he might never have forgiven me. You knew me better than I knew myself – although you picked a rather dramatic way to open my eyes," he finished, a bit wryly but still softly. He was smiling, but Kurt caught him surreptitiously brushing tears away.

Kurt tightened his fingers around Blaine's and pulled his partner to his feet, wrapping his arms around Blaine's torso.

"I love you," he murmured against Blaine's shoulder. "You have always taken my breath away – and there was nothing to forgive. I would have waited twice as long as I did if it meant you were sure and I got to keep you forever."

"I love you, too," Blaine answered, kissing him tenderly. "Once I finally saw what I was feeling for you, I was never so sure of anything in my entire life." He raised one hand, brushing his fingers through the hair at Kurt's temple. "I'm still sure."

"Mmm," Kurt hummed in agreement, his eyes sparkling happily. "So am I."


	2. Stealing the Show

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of _Glee_; it all belongs to 20th Century Fox, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, et al. I write these stories purely for enjoyment; no copyright infringement is intended. The songs, of course, are not mine either, and all due credit goes to the wonderful writers and performers of those songs.

**Author's Note: **Rachel was not originally supposed to appear in this fic at all, and well – she demanded it. She kept coaxing me, saying how wonderful it would be to surprise her boys and perform for them, and how much she would love to make an entrance among all the former Warblers, and I really couldn't say no. For the record, I wrote the scene concerning Rachel and Finn before "Michael" aired, before the proposal, before all of those plot developments. While I like Finn and Rachel as a couple, let's just say I share some of Kurt's reservations.

Aside from that, this fic has no purpose other than Klaine fluff. Truly. My thanks again and always to WickedForGood13.

* * *

><p><strong>A Warblers' Reunion – Chapter Two<strong>

Wes and David had done their organizing well, in the meticulous fashion they had first perfected as part of the Warblers' council. Each roster of Warblers had been invited to do two songs, both during and after the dinner meal. The songs were interspersed with solo performances, not only from Blaine and Kurt but also from some other Warbler soloists. Wes had sent everyone an itinerary beforehand, highlighting each Warbler's performances, and he had marked solos in a separate color, making them distinct from the group numbers.

When the two friends had put together itineraries for Blaine and Kurt, they had left off one very important detail. Mercedes had been instrumental in arranging this particular surprise, and it had been a closely guarded secret between the three of them.

Blaine and Kurt didn't find out about the omission until the late afternoon, when they had finished their wandering around Dalton, been through their showers and dressing, and had returned to the common room for more socializing before the gala dinner and dance that night.

They had been chatting amicably with Cameron and Thad, catching up with their friends who were, respectively, a lawyer and a surgeon, when murmuring broke out near the door. The four men didn't notice it at first, but it grew progressively louder and closer as more and more of the Warbler alumni noticed the room's new occupant. The quartet finally looked up, searching to see what was causing such a stir, and when the mass of tall shoulders finally parted, Blaine and Kurt's jaws dropped.

"Rachel?" Kurt exclaimed, stunned.

It was in fact Rachel Berry, her tiny figure attractively garbed in a navy and red strapless dress, her dark hair swept up into a beautiful, loose chignon, and her feet in dainty heels that gave her a few extra inches. Mercedes was behind her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hello my dears," she said exuberantly, drawing first Kurt and then Blaine into tight hugs. "You didn't think I would miss out on all the fun, did you?"

Blaine sent an astonished look toward Kurt who, it appeared, was still struggling to find words. "Rachel – what are you doing here? Not that we aren't glad you're here," he added hastily, shooting an apologetic and loving smile at his friend, "but you're supposed to be in New York – and you're not a Warbler, all appearances to the contrary," he finished, grinning as he took in her attire.

Rachel smiled at him impishly. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do, Blaine. I happen to have been invited, and I wasn't about to say no. I wanted to be here for whatever you are planning – and I know you are planning something," she whispered, winking.

Kurt finally spoke, having gotten over his initial shock at seeing his other best friend and costar parading into a Dalton full of Warbler alumni.

"Rachel, how on earth are you here?" he demanded, sputtering. "You haven't really given Blaine an answer, and you're supposed to be holding down the show – _our_ show!" he said emphatically, raising an eyebrow at her. "There is no _way_ that Brian and Harmony are going to be able to pull this off together, without either one of us, and you were supposed to be the one making sure that everything went well! It's going to be a disaster! What was Neil thinking?"

Once he started, Kurt didn't even pause for breath, and finally Rachel put a hand to his lips, smiling. "Kurt. It's fine. You've coached Brian through everything so many times that he could do it in his sleep, and he did well on the night that you were at Blaine's premier. He deserves the chance to be up there. We all know that Harmony has been longing to usurp my place ever since she became my understudy, and she will be brilliant because of it."

Blaine laughed at that; all three of them were good friends with Harmony, and despite the younger girl's ferocious ambition, she had a much kinder side that endeared her to most people who met her offstage. She had apologized profusely to Rachel and Kurt for her overbearing performance at the NYADA mixer in high school and had taken to Blaine the moment she met him.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak again, but Rachel insistently kept her fingers in place. "Neil is fine with it, I promise, Kurt. I had to do a little pleading and persuading, but he knew how much I wanted to be here, and finally he threw up his hands and said that it was about time his understudies learned how to swim. He may not give either of us another show off until the end of the run, but I told him I didn't care if the show ran until Doomsday, as long as I could be here."

This seemed to appease Kurt, and he nodded slowly as Rachel removed her hand. "But – why?" he asked, and then he caught sight of Mercedes' grinning face.

"You!" he exclaimed, striding over to her. "You knew about this! You didn't tell us!"

"Yes, I did, and no, I didn't," Mercedes said, laughing. "I was keeping the secret on my husband's behalf, Kurt, and you know I love you both, but I wasn't about to thwart David's planning. I had to be an accomplice in this case and call Rachel when David and Wes wanted her. Your faces were worth every minute that I had to keep this a secret."

Blaine groaned, rubbing his fingers over the bridge of his nose before looking at Rachel. "You're part of Wes and David's plot?"

"I am, thank you very much," Rachel said proudly. "That's all I'm going to tell you, so don't bother asking. However, a little birdie also told me that you two are doing some scheming of your own. Refusing to tell Wes Montgomery your song choices – if that doesn't set off some alarm bells, I don't know what would," she said, shaking her head with a grin. Rachel had grown close to some of Blaine's Dalton friends over the years, and Wes had rapidly become one of her favorites. Kurt was privately of the opinion that his diminutive costar and the former Warbler councilman held more than just friendly feelings toward one another, but Rachel would simply blush, laugh, and change the subject, and Wes refused to admit anything to him.

That eminent Warbler suddenly made himself heard, as a loud _thump_, _thump_, _thump _was heard from the direction of the table.

Kurt winced, covering his face with his hand. "He found a new one," he muttered. "So help me, I will steal it, break it, and burn it by the end of the weekend." Blaine, Rachel, and Mercedes snickered as Wes began to speak.

"If everyone would please make their way to the ballroom, we'll begin dinner and the performances," Wes called, gesturing toward the tall doors that now stood open. "Those Warblers who are up first, if you would make your way backstage please."

Kurt let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Here we go," he murmured to Blaine, and Blaine linked their hands in silent, comforting reassurance as the foursome began to move with the crowd.

* * *

><p>The first course of dinner had been served when the lights of the ballroom dimmed. Wes strode proudly out on to the stage wearing his Dalton blazer, and the audience cheered and clapped enthusiastically. Wes stepped in front of the mike with a warm smile.<p>

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said, beaming, "I would like to introduce our first soloist and opening act for this evening, Mr. Kurt Hummel!"

The clapping started again, augmented with whistles as Kurt came onto the stage, smiling broadly. He was wearing a perfectly fitted black tuxedo with satin lapels and a white bowtie. He took a deep breath as he stopped at the microphone, adjusting it a little for the few inches of height he had on Wes.

"I'm going to sing a song that is very special to me," Kurt began. "For those of you who knew me during the year I was a Warbler, I sang this song for the New Directions when I returned to McKinley, my original high school. I have sung it many times since, but never here at Dalton, and I cannot think of a more appropriate number for a reunion as special as this one."

Kurt looked for Blaine and found him almost immediately, sitting in the first row of tables, just feet away from the stage. Blaine's eyes were bright with happiness and adoration, and Kurt gave Blaine a small smile that was only for him before the music began. He closed his eyes.

_I don't know why I'm frightened_

_I know my way around here._

_The cardboard trees, the painted seas, the sound here._

_Yes, a world to rediscover_

_But I'm not in any hurry_

_And I need a moment_

So much was different, Kurt thought as he let the music hum under his skin, as he let the emotion flow into his voice. He and Blaine were different than they had been; their classmates were different as well. It _was_ a bit frightening, particularly because Dalton had scarcely changed at all. The décor was only slightly updated, only enough to be modern and yet still feel timeless. Headmaster Davis still occupied his suite of rooms on the second floor. Male students still filled the hallways when school was in session, and yet the alumni who were here had all built lives for themselves, sometimes lives that were drastically unlike the ones they had pictured ten years ago. Kurt wanted this song to create a moment for the Warblers, give them all a chance to take in the changes in each other and find their footing in this place that had defined them.

He started the second verse and opened his eyes, seeing David, Nick, Jeff, Thad, Trent, Andrew, and Cameron all grouped around Blaine. Elation began to fill his singing as he thought of all the mornings they had spent here as a group, thought of each and every wild Warbler meeting that he had been a part of. These boys – men, now – had embraced him, taking him in and offering their friendship without question, and Kurt had never forgotten it.

_The whispered conversations in overcrowded hallways  
>The atmosphere as thrilling here as always<br>Feel the early morning madness  
>Feel the magic in the making<br>Why, everything's as if we never said goodbye_

Above all else, Dalton had given him Blaine. Dalton had been their beginning, a safe haven that had allowed them to nurture their friendship and their budding romance without fear. A chance meeting in these halls had changed Kurt's life in ways that were so profound as to be almost unfathomable. Blaine was his best friend, the love of his life, the boy who had supported him through some of his most traumatizing experiences, who had been strong for him when Kurt's own strength had failed. Blaine had become such an essential part of him now that Kurt knew there was no way to untangle his heart from Blaine's, even if he had wanted to. Blaine was his everything. Kurt found his partner's eyes in the crowd again, and sang every word of the next verse to him.

_I've spent so many mornings just trying to resist you  
>I'm trembling now, you can't know how I've missed you<br>Missed the fairy tale adventure  
>In this ever spinning playground<br>We were young together_

Blaine was soaking in the song with an exhilarated, tender gaze, and Kurt realized with a rush of emotion that he _had_ missed this Blaine, his Blaine Warbler, the Blaine who was impetuous, endearing, and endlessly energetic around his friends, who led and loved the Warblers and took part in their madness, the Blaine who was polished and collected until he made some frightful error of judgment, and then proceeded to make up for the error with gestures that were extraordinarily moving. All of those things were still a part of Blaine, but had been overlaid with maturity and restraint, and except while he was onstage, they were often only shown to Kurt. It seemed to Kurt that being here, with all their old friends, had let Blaine release that younger, more flawed and open part of himself that had been dormant for so long.

As he finished the verse, Kurt caught the faintest glimmer of a tear on Blaine's cheek in the reflected light of the stage. He blew Blaine a kiss in the few bars between verses, blinking away the damp mist obscuring his own vision as the memories threatened to overwhelm him. He tried to regain his composure during the next verse, knowing that he needed every bit of lung power he had for the ending.

_I'm coming out of make-up  
>The lights already burning<br>Not long until the cameras will start turning  
>And the early morning madness<br>And the magic in the making  
>Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye<em>

_I don't want to be alone_  
><em>That's all in the past<em>  
><em>This world's waited long enough<em>  
><em>I've come home at last!<em>

Home. Dalton was always a home in some fundamental part of Kurt. The New Directions had created a home for themselves in glee, amidst all the turmoil of McKinley, but McKinley had never felt safe or welcoming to him. Despite his personality clashes with the Warblers and their ways, Dalton had been the first place he had felt protected outside of his father's house. He had never been alone here. For that, for Blaine, and for the friendships he had made, he would always love this grand old school

_And this time will be bigger  
>And brighter than we knew it<br>So watch me fly, we all know I can do it  
>Could I stop my hand from shaking?<br>Has there ever been a moment  
>With so much to live for?<em>

There was _everything_ to live for now, more than he could have imagined as a junior in high school, terrified and struggling to hold on to himself. He had a wonderful career, a beautiful apartment, friends who kept him grounded and sane and happy, and Blaine. Always Blaine. His anchor, his soul mate, the one who loved him so unconditionally that Kurt never stopped being astonished by it.

_The whispered conversations in overcrowded hallways_  
><em>So much to say, not just today, but always<em>  
><em>We'll have early morning madness<em>  
><em>We'll have magic in the making<em>  
><em>Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye<em>  
><em>Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye...<em>  
><em>We taught the world new ways to dream!<em>

Kurt focused in on his friends again, all surrounding Blaine. Wes was still in the wings, but otherwise, the boys he had been closest to were all there, and he tried to convey the feeling of a new chapter, another section of their lives that was just beginning. They could always return here, metaphorically or literally. The jubilant adolescent whirlwind of the year (or years) they had all had together at Dalton was the backdrop and scaffolding of everything, the constant reminder of why they were friends to begin with. They would always have each other's trust and love and confidence.

Kurt finished the song with his arms outstretched, and as the final chord died away, the applause began. It rose to almost deafening levels, and Kurt bowed once more before turning the stage back over to Wes, who clapped him on the shoulder and grinned as he passed.

Kurt hurried backstage, heading for the spot where he had left his Dalton blazer and tie, carefully pressed and carried with them from New York. He needed to get into formation with the other Warblers from their year, who were up next in the program. Before he could so much as remove his tuxedo jacket, however, he was pulled into Blaine's strong arms.

"You were amazing," Blaine said against his lips, his voice audible only to Kurt over the rustle of quiet footsteps and whispered instructions of the other singers. Kurt kissed him back eagerly, and they held on to each other with a fervor that made Kurt positively lightheaded.

"I love you," Blaine whispered, moving his lips to Kurt's temple, then to his jaw, then down his neck. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you," Kurt breathed, trying to get his pulse under control. "I love you so much, but we have to go sing, Blaine. You have a solo in about thirty seconds."

Blaine chuckled, pulling away and taking Kurt's blazer off its hanger while Kurt hurried out of his jacket. Blaine obligingly held the shoulders for him while Kurt slipped into the blazer and buttoned it, then quickly did up his blue and red tie. Kurt turned around once it was knotted and placed another quick kiss on Blaine's lips, taking in Blaine's own blazer-clad form.

"Is it ridiculous for me to be proud of the fact that these are our old blazers and that we didn't have to get them refitted?" he asked with a quirk of his lips.

Blaine laughed quietly. "No. The benefits of a career on the stage. Constant exercise," he quipped. "Let's go."

He took Kurt's hand, and they worked their way over to the line of Warblers. Blaine found his place at the head of the line, and Kurt slipped in toward the middle. Wes finished his introduction at that moment (Kurt had no idea what he had said; he would have to ask David later), and the Warblers filed out on stage.

As Blaine launched into the perfect, familiar rendition of "Hey, Soul Sister," and the Warblers let their voices rise in flawless accompaniment, all Kurt knew was joy.

* * *

><p>The other performances went swiftly. Their group of Warblers from junior year was followed by much shifting and switching until the roster from Blaine's freshman year stood on the stage. Blaine was a part of the group for those numbers; he had joined the Warblers midway through the first semester of his freshman year, at the combined insistence of Wes and David. Some of the older Warbler alumni took leads, and Kurt sat with Rachel and Mercedes, cheering them on. Kurt raised his eyebrows when Rachel slipped away during the last number, but he knew better than to ask questions. Mercedes wasn't at all surprised, so clearly this had been arranged ahead of time.<p>

Once the second round of group numbers had concluded and more backstage maneuvering had been accomplished, David came forward to the microphone, a wide smile gracing his handsome features.

"Friends and alumni of Dalton," he began, "we have a very special guest for you tonight. Please welcome Broadway star Ms. Rachel Berry."

There were exclamations of delight from the audience as Rachel walked smoothly onstage, looking beautiful in her Dalton navy and red. David kindly adjusted the microphone stand for her, and she thanked him before turning to speak.

"Thank you all," she began. "I'm so happy to have the privilege of singing for you, and to be part of this splendid reunion performance. However, my real purpose in coming tonight is to pay tribute to two very dear friends of mine who are also here – Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson."

Rachel looked for Kurt and Blaine at their table; Blaine had joined Kurt after the previous number and was now sitting beside him, clasping Kurt's hand in his own. Both of them looked surprised and touched by her declaration, and she smiled down at them warmly.

Clapping had begun with Rachel's mention of the two performers, and Rachel grinned. "Yes, you might have heard of them," she quipped, setting off a round of laughter. "They're rather famous." Her expression quickly became solemn again as she went on. "Kurt and I have been friends for many years, and there is no one in this world who has taught me more about loyalty, friendship, and bravery than Kurt. When we were in school, he was always the one to remind me where my true priorities should be, especially when I was being far too selfish and self-centered."

"Which was often," Kurt called cheekily, prompting more laughter, and Rachel acknowledged the truth of his statement with a little bob of her head.

"It's true," she continued. "Kurt helped me to be a better person. Even when he was terribly unhappy and scared, he did his best to support me and our friends. On his worst days, he managed to walk the halls of our high school with his head held high. We weren't there for him as often as we should have been, though I hope we've made up for that in the years since."

Rachel's eyes were teary now, and Kurt's face was full of affection as he looked up at her, silently acknowledging that she had been forgiven long ago.

"Then he met Blaine," Rachel continued, taking a deep breath and managing a crooked smile. She was interrupted this time by cheers, clapping, and whistles, and Blaine ducked his head with a bashful but pleased smile, his face flushing.

"I had never heard Kurt talk about anyone the way he talked about Blaine," Rachel said softly. "Suddenly there was someone in his life who understood him, who listened to him and looked out for him, who made him smile and laugh, who made him feel safe and cared for. I only knew him as 'Blaine Warbler' for months after they met" – and the laughing began again – "but I knew that they were destined to be something special."

Rachel focused her attention solely on Blaine, sending him a brilliant, grateful smile. "When I had the chance to get to know Blaine for myself, I found out that everything Kurt said about him was true. He had a voice that could rival mine and Kurt's" – this with a wink at Blaine. "He was dapper, and charming, and exuded affection and caring and warmth. He was also just as fierce and determined as Kurt to be who he was, with no apologies. He made it very easy to love him, even if Kurt hadn't already loved him so much."

All three friends had tears running down their cheeks now, heedless of the audience, and Mercedes had joined them as well, dabbing at her eyes as Rachel spoke. David kept an arm around his wife, feeling choked up himself, and Nick and Jeff were sitting just as close together as Kurt and Blaine, their expressions profoundly moved.

"Blaine and Kurt brought out the best in each other, from the very beginning. I watched their friendship grow into love, and through the years they have given me the best example of what true, committed love means that I could have ever wished for. As my friends, they have been endlessly loving and encouraging, and I have tried with everything I have to give that love and encouragement back to them. We have all pushed each other farther than we could have gone alone. I am so proud of them, and I am even prouder to call them my friends. This song is for them. Kurt and I sang it together, once upon a time," Rachel finished, beaming at her old friend, "but I've made it a solo and changed the lyrics a bit for tonight."

The first notes rang out into the silence, clear as bells.

_Unlimited_

_Just look at me_

_Unlimited_

_And just look at you, you did all you set out to do_

_My boys_

_And now it's up to you – to both of you_

_Now it's up to you_

Rachel was in her element. She had played Elphaba on a national tour of _Wicked_ before taking Broadway by storm in a revival of _Funny Girl_, and she was well on her way to being the next Barbra – which, of course, had been her dream from the start. At this moment, however, watching Kurt and Blaine, all she could think about was when she and Kurt had been on the stage at the Gershwin Theatre, and how much they had all been through since. She had shared a dorm suite with the pair of them during their first year at NYADA, and the trio had found a tiny apartment together before their sophomore year. It was filthy when they moved in, cramped beyond all imagining when they had cleaned and unpacked, and yet had been _theirs_, the first home they had created away from their parents. Kurt had finally achieved his goal of weeding Rachel's wardrobe of all tights and animal-themed sweaters, taking her out shopping for fashionable city clothes and vintage dresses. Blaine had become her hero one afternoon when she had flown home in tears after a particularly brutal day with one of their NYADA vocal professors. Blaine let her rant and cry on his shoulder, wrapping her in an afghan and soothing her until her tears were gone, then giving her a pep talk that made her smile again. While the two of them had been fond friends before, from that day forward Rachel had grown to love Blaine almost as the brother she had never had. The two young men were her biggest supporters and most loving constants after high school. They were there for her even when her dads couldn't be because of distance or expense.

_I've heard it said_

_That people come into our lives_

_For a reason_

_Bringing something we must learn_

_And we are led to those_

_Who help us most to grow_

_If we let them_

_And we help them in return_

_Now I know that I believe that's true_

_I know I'm who I am today_

_Because I knew you_

It had shamed her, during their first semester in college, to realize the things she didn't know about Kurt, things she should have known had she been paying attention at all. They had been close in high school, yes, sharing ambition and competition and a love for the stage. Rachel had done everything she could when Burt was in the hospital after his heart attack, and since she had been Finn's girlfriend, she knew the Hummel household as well as her own. She hadn't, however, known about Kurt's love for cooking and the absolutely amazing Italian food he was capable of producing. She hadn't known his tricks for finding designer clothes on sale. She hadn't known about the sweater of his mother's that he kept in a box at the bottom of his closet. She hadn't known about his knack for turning dingy rooms into comfortable living spaces with secondhand furniture and some artfully draped fabric.

She hadn't known how bad it had been with Karofsky.

There had been good reasons for that, of course. While most of the Glee club had seen the locker shoves at one time or another and had shared in the slushie facials, none of them had seen the inches-away threats, known about the bruises left on Kurt's body, or witnessed the incident in the boys' locker room. Kurt, wanting to protect them, had confided in no one but Blaine until the situation had become so dangerous that Burt and Finn had gotten involved. Then, Kurt had gone to Dalton for the majority of the year, and Finn flatly refused to share any of the details, saying that it wasn't his right to tell them what Kurt hadn't. Rachel and the other members of New Directions realized that Kurt simply didn't feel safe at McKinley, and had left it at that.

Still, it would hurt Rachel forever to remember how self-absorbed she had been then. Karofsky had been threatening Kurt's life, and she had hardly noticed how closed off Kurt had become. Once he returned to McKinley, he didn't talk about what had happened. It wasn't until she had found Kurt having a nightmare in the week before first-term finals that she had gotten the full story from him – and even then, Blaine had to persuade Kurt to tell her.

_Rachel slipped into their dorm suite and toed her shoes off. It was after two in the morning, much later than she'd planned to come home from school. She had been caught up in rehearsing and planning for the end-of-semester cabaret she was participating in before going home, and had lost track of the time. Kurt was doing a number for the show, but wasn't on the planning committee, and he had come home hours ago. Blaine was supposed to be completing a massive English term paper, and Rachel could see the sliver of light under his door. On nights like this, where one of them had to work late into the night, the boys would sleep apart so they didn't disturb each other. For once, their other dorm mate seemed to be asleep; Kelli was a notorious night owl, but tonight her lights were off. Rachel felt her way across their common room to her own bedroom door. She turned the light on long enough to find her pajamas, then turned it off and moved across the suite again to the bathroom, which happened to be right next to Kurt's bedroom. She was going to be exhausted tomorrow from the late hours, but if everything went well this weekend, it would be worth it._

_Rachel changed quickly into her sleepwear and was in the midst of washing her face when she thought she heard a cry from Kurt's room. It was quiet, coming through the wall as it had, but it was there. She dried her face quickly and left the bathroom, leaving the light on and the door ajar, letting a beam of illumination trickle into their living area. She slowly turned the knob to her friend's bedroom, opening the door just enough to see Kurt's bed. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness again, but once they had, she could see that her ears had not deceived her. _

_Kurt had to be having a nightmare. He was completely twisted in his blankets and sheets, one hand outside of the covers and clutching them desperately, and his back arched as he tossed restlessly. As Rachel considered whether or not to wake him, he whimpered again, this time curling into a fetal position, and Rachel's heart smote her. He looked so young, and so very scared. She stepped carefully into the room and made her way over to the bed, placing her hand lightly on Kurt's shoulder._

"_Kurt," she whispered softly. "Kurt. It's all right. Wake up."_

_There was no response at first, and Kurt twitched away from her, tears sliding down his cheeks. Rachel was worried now; she hadn't know that Kurt had nightmares, and she had no idea what he would be dreaming about that would make him cry. She continued to try and wake him, murmuring softly to him softly and rubbing his shoulder until he woke up with a gasp, his eyes wide in the dim light._

"_Rachel?" he said, his voice thick with tears._

"_I'm here," she said gently, and to her surprise, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her. He was shaking, and she hugged him tightly._

"_Do you want to talk about it?" she asked carefully, and he hesitated, then shook his head._

"_I'm not sure I should. Part of it isn't my story to tell, Rachel," he whispered._

_Rachel frowned slightly, but accepted his answer for now. She reached up and stroked Kurt's hair, and the fact that he didn't object told her just how upset he was._

"_I'm going to get Blaine," she soothingly. "He would want to know."_

_Kurt sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I haven't had one of these in so long . . ."_

"_Kurt," Rachel said firmly, lifting his head up to look at him even though they could only see outlines of one another in the shadowy room, "he would want to know. I'm sure he already knows what this is about, and he's going to be upset if you don't tell him they're happening again." _

"_It was just a dream, Rachel," he said edgily. "I'm fine. It's 2:30 in the morning; I don't want to wake him. "_

"_You're not fine, and he's awake," Rachel retorted. "Stay here a minute."_

_Kurt rubbed his free hand over his face in exasperation, and Rachel knew she was right. She rose from the bed, and left the room, turning off the bathroom light so that it wouldn't disturb Kelli. She tapped gently on Blaine's door, and at his soft "Come in," she entered._

_Blaine was sitting at his desk, a stack of books near his elbow and a thoughtful expression on his face as he typed on his laptop. When he turned around in his seat and beheld Rachel, however, concern quickly washed away any other emotions, and Rachel wondered how shaken she looked._

"_Rachel, what's wrong?" Blaine asked swiftly._

"_It's Kurt," she said, her voice trembling just a bit. "He had a nightmare – I heard him when I came in –"_

_Blaine was on his feet in an instant, moving quickly, and when Rachel reached the entrance to Kurt's room, Blaine already had his boyfriend in his arms. Kurt's head was buried into Blaine's shoulder, but he was silent, and Blaine was murmuring soft reassurances into his ear. When Kurt caught sight of her, however, he lifted his head long enough to give her a watery smile. _

"_Thank you," he said gratefully, and Rachel nodded._

"_I don't know exactly what this is about, but I'm always here for you, Kurt," she emphasized, sending a concerned look toward Blaine as well. "If you want to talk, I'm always here."_

_Kurt nodded, but before he could settle himself back against Blaine, the dark-haired man got up, beckoning Rachel toward the door._

"_I'll be right back, Kurt. Just one minute," he said, and Kurt settled back into his pillows, straightening his tangled blankets as they left._

_Rachel followed him out the door, and when they were standing again in the dark living room, Blaine took her hands. "Thank you," he said appreciatively. "I wouldn't have heard him, and I would have felt terrible about it in the morning."_

"_I know," Rachel answered. "He's so stubborn about asking for help, even when you're just in the next room. I tried to help him, too, but it's harder to comfort him when I don't know what's upsetting him so."_

_Even in the dark, Rachel could make out the contemplative expression on Blaine's face. "He should tell you – we should tell you," he said thoughtfully. "I can't see what harm it would do now, and it might help later on. Let me talk to him about it."_

"_All right," Rachel agreed. "If he doesn't want to tell me, Blaine, that's all right. Just take care of him."_

"_I will," Blaine promised, and he reached out to fold Rachel into a hug. "Get some sleep. You look exhausted."_

"_You do the same, dear one," Rachel said affectionately. "I'll see you both in the morning." _

Rachel never knew exactly what was said in the rest of Blaine and Kurt's conversation, but the next day the two of them had gone to lunch with her and told her everything. The confrontation and the kiss in the locker room. The death threats. Blaine's constant support and attempts to help. Kurt's subsequent removal to Dalton. How Dave had transferred to another school to avoid questions about his sexuality, and how he and Kurt had reached a point of mutual respect.

"_Dave's not that person anymore, Rachel," Kurt had said over their sandwiches and coffee. "He's changed, and he's happier. My dad still sees him every once in a while, and I gather that he's come to terms with who he is. But my subconscious doesn't always remember that, and when I get stressed, some of the things he did – or some of the things he threatened to do – come back." _

Blaine, too, had narrated events that Rachel had never heard about before: teasing and bullying as a child that left Blaine fearful of many of his peers, the disastrous Sadie Hawkins dance at the end of eighth grade that had resulted in Blaine and one of his close male friends being beaten and hospitalized for daring to go together, his subsequent escape to Dalton, where the Warblers had managed to make him feel safe and happy again.

Rachel had been horrified by what they had revealed, and she had broken down in tears by the end of Kurt's story. Though she could feel sorry for Dave Karofsky and his struggle to accept his sexuality, she was floored by what he had done to Kurt in the meantime. She remembered his suicide attempt during senior year, and how shocked they had all been to find out he was gay. Kurt and Blaine had kept Dave's secret well until then, and while the glee club members were able to fill in some of the blanks about why Karofsky had bullied Kurt, Kurt and Blaine had always refused to tell them specifics. They had said that Dave needed help, not more anger and resentment over things that were in the past. Rachel had admired their position then, and she still did, but she felt sickened thinking about all of the terror her best friends had been through without her knowledge. Those few hours in a coffeeshop changed Rachel in some fundamental way. Never again would she let Kurt or Blaine go through something so horrific alone.

It was also during that conversation that Rachel began to understand the nature of the love that Kurt and Blaine held for one another. She wouldn't comprehend it fully for years, but somewhere in the back of her mind it began to sink in that the two of them had seen each other at their very worst, at their most vulnerable, scared, and ridiculous, and yet they managed to keep loving in spite of everything. Their love was based in honesty, friendship, and almost limitless trust.

_Like a comet pulled from orbit_

_As it passes the sun _

_Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood_

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better?_

_But because I knew you_

_I have been changed for good._

_Although I know_

_That we will always meet again_

_In this lifetime_

_Let me say before we part_

_So much of me_

_Is made from what I learned from you_

_You'll be with me_

_Like a handprint on my heart_

_And now whatever way our stories end_

_I know you have rewritten mine_

_By being my friends_

Perhaps the greatest indication of how much Rachel had changed because of Kurt and Blaine's friendship – certainly the moment when Rachel realized how much she wanted a love like Kurt and Blaine's – came when she refused Finn's proposal for the final time and ended their relationship. During spring break of their junior year at NYADA, she had gone to visit him at Ohio University. When he had been rejected from Ohio State's football program, Finn had started looking into other programs at smaller schools, and OU had welcomed him with open arms. He had excelled, becoming their starting quarterback, double-majoring in music and education, saying he wanted to follow in Mr. Schue's footsteps. All of his New York family had been so proud of him for his plans and accomplishments, particularly Rachel. She knew how upset and frustrated he had been when OSU rejected him, and to see him pick himself up and pursue his dreams anyway had made her so happy. He had been asking Rachel to marry him since they were seniors at McKinley, but she had been hesitant, not wanting to tie either of them to each other when they were going to be negotiating a long distance relationship and would spend so much time apart. When he had repeated his proposal for the last time, refusing him had been the hardest thing she had ever done.

_Keys jangled in the lock of their apartment, and Kurt looked up from his magazine in surprise as Rachel entered._

"_Rach?" he exclaimed, standing up. "What's going on? You weren't supposed to be home for another two days!"_

"_I came back early," Rachel sniffled, and Kurt paused at her tone, taking a closer look at her. Rachel's eyes were red, her cheeks damp, and her usually smooth and shiny hair was pulled into a messy knot at the top of her head. He immediately walked around the couch and over to her, wrapping her in a hug._

"_What happened?" he asked gently._

"_Why are you here?" Rachel asked in return, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Don't you have class today?"_

"_Dr. Lewis canceled today, so I have the afternoon off, and now I'm really glad he did," Kurt said, rubbing her shoulders. "Blaine is here, too; you know he only has his night class on Thursdays."_

_He guided Rachel over to the couch, sitting them both down, and Blaine appeared at that moment, coming down the hallway and sticking his head into the living room. "Rachel?" he questioned in concern, spotting her with Kurt. "I thought I heard you come in! Why are you home early?" He came quickly over to the couch, sitting on Rachel's other side so the petite girl was sandwiched between himself and Kurt._

_More tears welled up in Rachel's eyes as a sob escaped her, and both boys waited patiently until she could speak. _

"_We're through," she said finally, her voice cracking. "Finn and I. H-he asked me to marry him again, and – and I couldn't say yes, and I realized that it was so unfair to ask him to keep waiting when he wants this so much. Oh, God, I've broken his heart," she whispered, and began to sob in earnest. Blaine's arms were around her immediately, and he rocked her gently, sending an alarmed look at Kurt over the top of Rachel's head. Kurt's eyes were wide, but his expression was thoughtful, and he reached out to hug Rachel as well, placing a kiss on her hair._

"_Why couldn't you say yes, sweetie?" he questioned softly, petting her hair as she continued to cling to Blaine. "I know you wanted to put your career first, and Finn knows that too, but he always thought you would say yes eventually."_

_Blaine noticed that Kurt didn't say he shared that opinion, and Blaine already knew a lot of the reasons for his skepticism. However, Blaine had hoped for Rachel and Finn's sakes that they would find a way to work out their differences. His heart ached for Rachel; she was so miserable, and there wasn't any way to make this better for her._

_Rachel sighed and sat up, swiping at her eyes again as she tried to put her thoughts in order. _

"_I love Finn," she said, her voice wavering. "He was my first __**everything**__, and I am so grateful for that. But we don't - we don't talk the way we used to, and I don't love him romantically any more. I can't believe it took me so long to realize it. He and I are both so busy, and when we could see each other it was comfortable and fun and familiar. When he asked me again last night, though – he had taken me to this beautiful restaurant, and he was so sincere when he asked me to make it official, and – and I didn't know what to say!"she burst out, wringing her hands. "I've never imagined my life without him, but it hit me all at once that I couldn't imagine my life __**with **__him, either. I couldn't see him living here in New York. I don't think he would be happy here, and I would never move back to Ohio. I couldn't see being his wife, or having his-" her voice broke again, "his ch-children. I want them someday, but not now, and he does, and he would end up hating my ambition and my endless hours at work. I couldn't see how we would reach any sort of compromise."_

_Rachel gave into tears again, leaning against Kurt this time, and he held her, trying to give her some consolation. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. I've hurt Finn so much, and he might never forgive me. I know that's going to make it hard for you – for both of you," she added, turning to look at Blaine. "I love him very dearly, and I need him in my life as a friend, but I don't need him the way -" Rachel stopped abruptly, biting her lip._

_Blaine reached over to clasp one of the hands that lay in Rachel's lap, looking for a point of contact even though Rachel was still resting on Kurt. "Don't need him the way what, Rachel?" he asked carefully._

_Rachel looked down at their hands, refusing to make eye contact with either of them, and she was silent for so long that Blaine thought she might not answer, but finally she spoke in a barely-audible whisper. "I don't need him the way you two need each other."_

_Both Kurt and Blaine stilled in shock. Whatever they had been expecting Rachel to say, it wasn't that. They communicated silently for a minute or two, eyes speaking and heads tilting, until Kurt spoke, very, very hesitantly._

"_Rach – Blaine and I aren't perfect. We have problems. We've made compromises. And love doesn't work the same way for everyone."_

"_I know," Rachel said, a touch of asperity entering her voice despite her vulnerability. "I do live with you both, Kurt. You both have some habits that would drive anyone else mad. The two of you argue when you get stressed, sometimes over trivial things. You both have tempers that are set off for different reasons. You make hard choices, about your schooling, about your schedules, about the holidays, and you have to live with them. My point is, the pair of you deal with those things together. You put effort, every day, into keeping your relationship happy and intact. Anyone with eyes can see that you need each other like you need oxygen." The sadness returned to Rachel's voice as she looked between them, trying to help them understand. "Finn and I __**don't**__ make those decisions together, and we haven't for a long time. We love each other, still, but our happiness doesn't depend on each other. I think it did at the beginning, but it doesn't anymore."_

_Rachel tightened her hand around Blaine's, and took one of Kurt's hands in her own as well. "What the two of you have is precious, and so very rare. I want to be with someone for over four years and still have them look at me the way you both look at each other, like the one you love is the only one in the room. I want to feel that way about whoever I'm with. I want that for Finn, too; he deserves that. He is such a good, loving person, and I want that for him. I just can't be the one to give it to him." _

_Kurt sighed, his tense muscles relaxing slightly as he pulled Rachel into yet another hug. Blaine moved over and hugged her as well, so that she was surrounded by the arms of her two best friends._

"_It will be all right," Kurt said quietly. "I'm sorry that it had to end like this, but it will be all right, Rachel. I'm sure Finn understands, or he will eventually. He wants you to be happy, too."_

_The three of them stayed curled together for a long time, and when Kurt rose to go call his stepbrother, Blaine coaxed Rachel into lying against him on the couch, comforting her until she fell into an exhausted sleep._

After that day, more than any other, the three of them had become a family. Kurt made it clear to Rachel that she would always be part of their lives, even while he spent countless hours on the phone with Finn, trying to ease the hurt Finn was feeling. To Rachel and Blaine's surprise, Kurt had been right about his stepbrother's reaction. Once Finn worked through his own feelings of loss, he understood and even shared some of Rachel's realizations about their relationship. It took time, but eventually he and Rachel were able to interact as friends again, checking in on each other through phone calls and Skype, rejoicing in each other's successes and sympathizing with each other's challenges, even while they moved on with their professions and their lives. Blaine and Kurt were there for both of them every step of the way, smoothing things over, helping them to deal with the emotions and occasional awkwardness that came with readjusting their friendship. Rachel tactfully avoided the Hummel house for a year after the breakup, though she was only in Lima twice during that period. When all four of the former schoolmates were home for the Christmas holidays, Kurt and Blaine came to her when they weren't attending Hummel or Anderson family functions, keeping her cheerful and occupied. In turn, she tried to cheer up Blaine when his tense relationship with his parents became difficult to handle, and she assisted Kurt in his endless shopping and meal planning for the Christmas festivities. They all made it through the break in one piece, and when they returned to New York Rachel felt better than she had in months.

Strangely, perhaps the event that helped the most was Finn meeting someone new. Rachel had thought it would hurt, but when he began dating Jennifer, another music and education major who wanted to work with elementary children, Rachel overwhelmingly felt relieved. Finn was very happy with Jennifer, and the secret dread that had lingered in Rachel's heart – that she might have hurt Finn beyond repair – was finally put to rest. Kurt and Blaine had been very kind and supportive when they all found out Finn was dating, and they had been more than willing to let Rachel talk out her feelings – in fact, they cleared their schedules one Friday night and took her out to dinner, solely to make sure she was coping with the change.

_Like a ship blown from its mooring_

_By a wind off the sea_

_Like a seed dropped by a skybird_

_In a distant wood_

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better?_

_But because I knew you_

_Because I knew you_

_I have been changed for good_

Rachel knew things were finally back to normal, for the better, when Finn sent flowers to her opening night performance of _The Sound of Music_ during their last semester at NYADA. He had written a card with an affectionate joke about playing a second Maria, and she had smiled with true delight and happiness, warm and friendly feelings washing over her at the kind gesture of friendship. Kurt and Blaine had been in the audience, cheering her on as she wowed everyone with her portrayal of the young and spunky aspiring nun. She owed the two of them more than she could ever repay.

_And just to clear the air_

_I ask forgiveness_

_For the things I've done you blame me for_

_But then I guess we know there's blame to share_

_And none of it seems to matter anymore_

Rachel found Kurt and Blaine with her eyes again, just a trace of sadness in her expression now, even as she let her voice soar with joy. There was understanding in their faces as they looked back at her; they knew what she was trying to say. They had all hurt each other, too, of course. No trio of friends could live together almost constantly for four years without getting into the occasional painful fight. Rachel's weakness was always a tendency to be too absorbed in her roles and her career, and she occasionally said or did things that were hurtful and insensitive to both her boys. She would never forget the time that she had made an offhand, caustic comment about Blaine's parents one night when they were all home for dinner, and the way that Blaine's eyes had widened with hurt and pain before he left the table. Shame had washed over her immediately; it had taken her days to talk to him about it. She and Kurt had their share of spectacular fights, and Blaine had played mediator on more than one occasion, trying to cool down their respective tempers. During those incidents Rachel had thanked her stars for Blaine, who seemed to have endless patience for the pair of them. Though he was not without a temper of his own, as she and Kurt well knew, when his two best friends were fighting Blaine went out of his way to help them make peace.

Kurt and Blaine had also had their moments. Their fights were fewer and further between; when one of them was angry, it generally wasn't because of something the other had done. However, Rachel sometimes thought that made the times when they _did_ fight much harder and more painful. They were so often in accord with one another, so able to read and understand each other, that when they disagreed and resorted to shouting, it hurt them both to an extent that was heart-wrenching to watch. Usually one of them would come to the other within hours, eyes full of tears and full of apologies. In the one or two rare times where it had taken them more than a day to sort out their differences, Rachel had often found herself comforting and counseling both of them.

If she learned one thing from watching them, however, it was this: part of what made their relationship work was that they never stopped communicating. Whether it took them half an hour or twenty-four, in the end they always sat down and talked about why they were angry and what had been behind their fight. They sought to understand each other, soothe each other's insecurities and fears, and find ways to make their relationship better, their bond stronger. Rachel had found herself hiding tears more than once when they returned to being the smiling, happy, affectionate boys that she knew, expressing their love through tender gestures and long looks.

It was almost without surprise that Rachel saw Kurt stand as she opened her mouth for the final chorus. Tears were trickling down his cheeks, and his perfect countertenor soared with hers, a second spotlight finding him as they sang together.

_Like a ship blown from its mooring_

_By a wind off the sea_

_Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood_

_(__Like a comet pulled from orbit_

_As it passes a sun_

_Like a stream that meets a boulder_

_Halfway through the wood) _  
><em><br>__Who can say if I've been changed for the better?_

_I do believe I have been changed for the better_

_And_

_Because I knew you_

_Because I knew you_

_Because I knew you_

_I have been changed for good._

The applause began and didn't stop. The entire auditorium full of people rose to their feet, whistling and cheering for what seemed endless minutes. Blaine stood behind his partner and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, mouthing a silent "We love you" to Rachel. She smiled brilliantly, bowing again and again before she finally escaped to the wings.

As Rachel left the stage, she was met by Wes, who was smiling warmly. To her surprise, he caught her hand in his and held it.

"You were magnificent, Rachel Berry," he said, something in his gaze sending a familiar, breath-stealing flutter through Rachel's heart. "When all of this madness is over, will you let me come to New York and take you to dinner?"

Rachel's eyes sparkled as a smile spread over her face in return. "Of course. I would be delighted."

Wes bowed over her hand and kissed her knuckles, and then went to introduce the next group of singers as Kurt and Blaine appeared in the wings, engulfing Rachel in their arms.


	3. Old Enemies and New Friends

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of _Glee_; it all belongs to 20th Century Fox, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, et al. I write these stories purely for enjoyment; no copyright infringement is intended. The songs, of course, are not mine either, and all due credit goes to the wonderful writers and performers of those songs.

**Author's Note: **This story keeps having a mind of its own. Originally, I wasn't going to let Sebastian into this story at all – I'm still mad at him, and I still don't like him. However, this story is about love above all things. So Sebastian gets to appear and give some explanation for his unpardonable behavior. He did want to apologize to our boys so much; I couldn't refuse him.

A word about headcanon and the garage sing-off in "Michael." I couldn't simply have the same scenario as I wrote in "Taking the High Road," as that follows show canon and this does not. However, for the purposes of this fic I was thinking that Wes was still at Dalton (as established in Ch. 1), and that while he knew about the sing-off, he refused to go on principle. In other words, he was the one Warbler who absolutely wouldn't compromise his loyalty to Blaine. I'm still working on it, and it may appear in another story.

The lines from "Original Song" and "The First Time" belong to the Glee writers and not to me. As always, thanks to my lovely friend WickedForGood13 for the beta and the constant encouragement. Is anyone else having trouble with the new review posting system? I've ended up posting several anonymous reviews simply because I don't realize that I'm not signed in.

* * *

><p><strong>A Warblers' Reunion – Chapter Three<strong>

As Wes slid back into his place at their table, Mercedes leaned over to him, speaking under the rousing song currently being sung by yet another class of Warblers.

"Did you finally ask my girl out, Wesley Montgomery?" she demanded, fixing him with a threatening stare.

Wes smiled, too happy to be at all fazed by Mercedes' glare. "You might say that."

"And did she say yes?" Mercedes prodded.

Wes nodded. "She did."

Mercedes couldn't control the grin that broke over her features. "It's about time. You two have been dancing around each other long enough. Just make sure you don't hurt her, or you'll have a small army of people coming after you, with me and our lover boys leading the charge."

"Well done," David said. "You two would be good together. Kurt certainly thinks so. Make sure you listen to 'Cedes about this, though, Wes. I know you waited this long precisely because you knew how much it would matter to Rachel and to all of us. Just remember that as you see where this goes."

"Thanks, David," Wes said quietly. "I never want to hurt her, and I know that Kurt and Blaine will be after me with pitchforks if I do. I had to be sure, and I wanted Rachel to be sure of her answer, before we tried any kind of relationship. This isn't going to be easy, and I think we both know that, but if she's willing to see if we can make each other happy, then so am I."

"Glad to hear it," said Kurt as he took his seat, giving Wes a triumphant "I-told-you-so" look. He, Blaine, and Rachel had arrived from backstage just in time to hear the end of Wes's whispered speech. Blaine reached over to squeeze Wes's shoulder in approval, and Rachel took the empty seat next to Wes and twined their fingers together, smiling happily.

Just then, the group onstage exited into the wings, and a new soloist appeared. Kurt grabbed Blaine's forearm with a gasp, making Blaine look over in surprise. "Is that who I think it is?" he demanded.

Blaine took one look at the brown-haired, blue-eyed singer on stage and turned a furious face to Wes. "_Sebsatian?_" Blaine hissed. "Really, Wes?"

Wes sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know," he said apologetically. "I couldn't very well _not_ invite him, though. Not when he was one of our two leads senior year. I was hoping he would refuse to come, but clearly, that didn't happen. He was never expelled from the Warblers, so I still had to consider him a member."

"We made the decision together," David added. "Neither of us were particularly comfortable with inviting him, considering what he did to you two _and_ the Warblers, but we weren't convinced we should exclude him, either."

"Lovely," Kurt said. "This ought to be interesting." Blaine rubbed his hand soothingly over Kurt's forearm, still visibly trying to control his own anger, and Wes grimaced at Kurt's tone. It was classic, imperious, ice-queen Kurt Hummel, and every wall that Kurt had ever built for himself was suddenly back up, reminding Wes unpleasantly of the sharp-tongued, defensive, terrified boy who had first come to Dalton. He hadn't seen this Kurt in a very long time and had sincerely hoped never to see him again.

Blaine eventually sighed, massaging his forehead as the song concluded and Sebastian bowed to the applause of the crowd. "He did get better after – after what happened to Dave," he conceded, looking over at Kurt. "Let's just hope he's continued to improve."

Kurt relaxed a fraction, but the wariness didn't leave his posture or his expression. "Let's hope," he murmured.

Wes stood up, concern in every line of his face. "I have to go announce the intermission," he said, glancing at his watch.

"I'll go," David said meaningfully, standing as well. "It will be better if you stay here."

The two friends nodded at each other, and Wes sat back down. Wes had been the only Warbler of their group who was not present at the garage sing-off, as he had refused to go on principle. He had suspected that Sebastian's plans were worse than they appeared, and in any case he hadn't agreed with the idea of the sing-off to begin with. He had argued with the rest of the group for days that there was a more civil way than a sing-off to settle the argument over Michael Jackson songs. Unfortunately, he was unable to convince his friends either of Sebastian's ulterior motives or to cancel the confrontation, and therefore he had been the only one Blaine had talked to for weeks after the slushie incident. David was probably right. Wes felt more comfortable being present for this conversation, if Sebastian was brave enough (_or stupid enough_, he thought grimly) to make it happen.

"Rachel," Blaine said carefully. Rachel looked over at him anxiously, and he gave a gentle nod toward Mercedes. Rachel's eyes widened in understanding, and she stood, but Mercedes had caught the look, and her spine stiffened.

"Oh, no," she said dangerously. "I was there when the worst of this went down, Blaine Anderson. Don't you dare try to keep me away from that meerkat."

Blaine opened his mouth to object, but Kurt beat him to it.

"Please, 'Cedes," he pleaded. "I hope this doesn't get ugly, and I don't think it will, but – please. It's not good for the baby to be under stress."

Kurt locked eyes with his friend, and they remained in a battle of wills for several interminable seconds.

"Mercedes," Kurt whispered again. "_Please_."

Mercedes sighed, her resolve crumbling under Kurt's worried blue eyes. "All right, boo. You're lucky I love you so much. I could use the walk anyway." She stood, looping her arm through Rachel's. Rachel smiled at her in relief.

"We'll be right back if you need us," Rachel promised, and the boys nodded at her before she and Mercedes made their way out of the dining room.

Sebastian finished his song, and the applause was earnest, if a bit less enthused then it had been for Rachel and Kurt. He still had a strong and smooth singing voice; he had clearly kept it in use since leaving school. Sebstian bowed at the mic and smiled, then headed off the stage and down into the sea of tables.

"Is there any chance he'll just ignore us?" Blaine murmured.

"Has he ever?" Kurt retorted, though he kept his voice down.

"Obviously not," Wes said curtly, jerking his chin in the direction of the stage. Sebastian was approaching them, with another man following behind him. Blaine took a breath and closed his eyes briefly before composing his features.

"Hello Blaine, Kurt," Sebastian said as he reached the table, smiling. He saw Wes and gave him a small nod; Wes was looking at him through narrowed eyes.

Kurt studied the man who had made a point of tormenting them so many years ago. Sebastian looked older, as they all did, but the years had been good to him; he was still as handsome and slender as ever. What was surprising, however, was his expression. The cocky smirk that Kurt had permanently associated with him was gone; his smile was genuinely friendly, if a little bit careful. He wasn't sure how he was going to be received, and if Kurt was any reader of people at all, he was actually being sincere.

"Hello Sebastian," Kurt said neutrally, making an effort to keep his voice even and open. He would give him a chance, but just one. Blaine had clearly come to the same conclusion; he was outwardly calm even though Kurt could feel the tension thrumming through him.

Sebastian took them in and sighed, his smile faltering as he sat. "Listen," he said, clasping and unclasping his hands in a nervous gesture, "I owe you both apologies, many times over, for what happened our senior year, for what I did to you. All of it was wrong, in so many ways." Remorse covered his face as he looked at each of the boys in turn."I shouldn't have tried to come between you. Kurt, I should never have insulted you or tried to hurt you. Blaine, what I did to you was –" and here Sebastian paused and swallowed – "it was unforgivable. All of it: the flirting, the propositioning, the slushie. I never – I never meant for you to get hurt, but I never should have created the situation to begin with. I'm sorry."

"No, you shouldn't have," Blaine said, but his voice wasn't harsh, just thoughtful.

"Look, I know I haven't done anything to earn your trust, and you don't have to trust me," Sebastian said quietly.

"They _really_ don't," Wes muttered, and Sebsatian's mouth turned up in a rueful, wry half-smile.

"I just wanted you to know that I regret every bit of it. I owed you that much, at least," he finished, regarding them solemnly.

"You might want to cut him a break, Blaine," a new voice broke in, the broad accent out of place in the room full of Americans. Blaine looked up at the sound, his eyes widening as the man who had been behind Sebastian stepped into view from a few tables over. "He's not the same person you knew."

"Colin!" Blaine exclaimed, standing up and hurrying around the table to throw his arms around his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Colin?" Wes questioned, openly staring. "_The_ Colin?"

"The one and only," Kurt said dryly, but his tone was affectionate as he watched Blaine and Colin embrace.

Colin Campbell had been one of Blaine's roommates during a year-long residential program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and while Colin and Blaine were both dark-haired, that was where the similarities ended. Blaine's toned and slender frame was dwarfed by the tall and burly Scotsman who was currently hugging the life out of him. Colin was easily a head and a half taller than Blaine, about six and a half feet. He had thick, straight black hair pulled into a neat ponytail, a silver earring in his left ear, and piercing green eyes that jumped vividly out of his face.

"Kurt, don't I rate a hug?" Colin complained, looking over Blaine's shoulder with a hurt expression. "Get over here!"

Kurt rolled his eyes but smiled as he walked over to join the group hug. "Blaine has first dibs, you know," he pointed out. "_He_ was your flatmate, not I."

"Details," Colin said with a dismissive wave. He looked over at Wes, who was taking in the entire scene with avid curiosity. "You must be Wes Montgomery," Colin said, stretching out a hand with a friendly smile. "Colin Campbell. Blaine's told me so much about you."

"Likewise," Wes said, clasping the taller man's hand warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You still haven't answered my question," Blaine said, taking a step away from his friend. "What are you doing here? You are the last person on earth I would have expected to see at a Warblers' reunion in Ohio."

Colin looked at Sebastian, who had sat unobtrusively through the greetings and introductions. Sebastian smiled at him, inclining his head in a "tell them" gesture. Kurt, however, caught on before either of them had said a word.

"No," he said in surprise, looking at the pair of them. "Really?"

Sebastian jumped just a bit when Kurt spoke; during his apology to the two men, he had been unnerved by the kindness he had seen in Kurt's face, even through the countertenor's carefully controlled mask.

Blaine looked at Kurt, then looked at Sebastian, and finally back at Colin, his expression incredulous. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Colin affirmed, moving over to take a seat beside Sebastian and taking his hand.

Blaine shook his head, trying to take in what he was seeing. "Colin . . ."

"He knows, Blaine," Sebastian interrupted. "I told him, all of it; I couldn't do anything else once I realized you two were friends. It wouldn't have been fair."

Blaine sat again, contemplating the pair in front of him. "How did this come about?"

"I don't know if you had heard, but I'm working in international business now, as a corporate lawyer," Sebastian began. "I was in London for a business deal about a year ago, and the company that I was working with there had gotten tickets to _Macbeth_."

A smile tugged at Blaine's lips. "You were amazing in _Macbeth_," he said to Colin.

"Which you only know because you watched the film," Colin retorted playfully. "I was their dream, is what I was. A Scotsman with RADA training, to play the Scottish king in the Scottish play."

"You know we wanted to come see you!" Blaine objected indignantly.

"Sure you did," Colin said sarcastically. "Weren't there, were you?"

Sebastian was grinning. "Needless to say, I was captivated," he went on, with a wink at Colin. "It would have been very difficult not to be. Luckily for me, my escorts happened to know where the cast went after their performances."

"Love at first sight?" Kurt quipped.

Colin snorted. "Hardly – though even I wouldn't deny that Seb over here was easy on the eyes."

Sebastian blushed lightly at the compliment, but he looked at Kurt. "Not all of us are so lucky," he said softly, making a small, encompassing gesture with his hand to indicate Kurt and Blaine. Kurt, surprised, opened his mouth to speak, but Sebastian continued before he could comment.

"Anyway," he went on in a lighter tone, "I began haunting the theater. I showed up after Colin's performances, tried to talk to him at the bar, even stayed in London after the deal was done."

"He drove me nearly mad," Colin said teasingly. "I had to talk to him eventually; I thought it was my only hope of getting rid of him. Once we started talking, I found he had many more layers than I was expecting."

"How did you find out we knew each other?" Blaine asked Sebastian, his brow furrowed.

"It was purely accidental," Sebastian answered, "though afterward I was very grateful it happened the way it did. If that whole story had come out some other way, it might have ended our relationship before it started. It was near the end of the _Macbeth_ run. I came over for dinner one night, and Colin was finishing up a Skype call while the meal was cooking. When he came out of his room, he mentioned that he had been talking to his friend Blaine, who lived in New York."

"He looked like a deer in headlights when I said your name," Colin interjected to Blaine. "I thought I had resurrected a ghost."

"You did, really," Sebastian pointed out with a little smile. "I asked if it was you," he said to Blaine, "using your full name, and of course it was. How many Blaines could there be in New York City, especially Blaines who would know a RADA actor in London?"

"So then, he told me the entire story over dinner," Colin said, picking up the thread. "I was furious at first, too – and as much at you as at him!" he said emphatically, pointing a finger at Blaine. "You never said a word."

"It had happened five years before I met you," Blaine said, and it was Kurt's turn to rub a hand along his partner's shoulders as he watched Blaine fight the automatic instinct to wall himself up. "It was all over – I was fine - Kurt and I were fine – it wasn't something we talked about. There was no need."

Colin shook his head, clearly disagreeing, and was about to say something else, but Wes caught the Scotsman's eyes, giving a tiny but vehement shake of his head. Assessing the heat of Wes's glare, Colin let the comment die on his lips in favor of continuing his narrative. "We talked it out after I cooled down, and after hearing everything he had to say, I could forgive him. It didn't hurt that he wanted forgiveness from both of _you_ so much," he finished pointedly.

Sebastian was keeping his gaze away from all of them and toying with his water glass, clearly uncomfortable at being so exposed, but once Colin finished speaking, he surprised everyone at the table by looking up at Kurt.

"Kurt, you haven't said much," he observed bashfully. "I know we didn't like each other then, and you of all people, aside from Blaine, probably have the least reason in the world to forgive me, but please say something."

Kurt was surprised again by the pleading undertone in Sebastian's voice. This was important to Sebastian – for some reason, knowing what Kurt thought was just as important to Sebastian as apologizing. Kurt paused, considering what to say, and he finally asked the question that had been in the back of his mind for years.

"Why?"

"I understand this," Kurt added, motioning between Sebastian and himself and Blaine. "I understand the 'why' of this, why you would want to come here and apologize in person, and I respect that. But then? I never understood that. I had a few guesses, but I could never get any further than that."

Sebastian struggled to speak for a moment, and Colin clasped his hand reassuringly.

"I wasn't a very happy teenager; I'm sure you guessed that," he said finally, letting out a breath. "We moved around a lot – too much, actually; there was never any stability. Dad did a lot of political work in addition to being an attorney, and Mom was a fashion designer – that was how we ended up in Paris one year. They both ignored my existence for the most part, unless they could show me off as their model son. They didn't even care about my sexuality, as long as I didn't display it in front of the cameras. I became very good at playing them off of one another to get what I wanted, which is something else I'm not proud of. At the time, I looked at it as a sort of game. Who could I win over? Who could I beat? It gave me a sense of control and power when I felt powerless about everything."

Blaine had remained quiet as Kurt asked his question; he had wanted to hear the answer just as much as Kurt. As Sebastian explained, he felt sympathy blooming in his chest. He knew how it felt to be ignored by your parents – he had been neglected by one of his own parents and thoroughly disliked by the other. He had been powerless to stop his bullies; he couldn't help the sexual orientation that so angered his father; he had been unable to articulate the overwhelming hurt and rejection he had felt because he hadn't been his parents' idea of a perfect son. He had watched them pour affection on Cooper, whom he had both idolized and resented. Rather than lashing out, however, Blaine had turned inward, turned to people he trusted, leaning on the Warblers and confiding in Wes and David. He had turned to music and performing, where he could always find happiness. He had turned to Kurt, that day on the stairs, and never looked back.

Sebastian's parents had, apparently, cared so little for him that their attitude was one of complete indifference toward their son. Knowing that he was simply meant to fill a place in family photos must have been terrible for him. As awful as Mr. Anderson's anger and disappointment were for Blaine, they were _emotions_; even his mother occasionally tried to be kind to him. Sebastian had only known absence.

Kurt was nodding encouragingly at Sebastian, his face full of understanding, and the taller boy went on.

"When I went to Dalton – and really, Mom and Dad had dropped me there for the year because they didn't know what else to do with me; I had refused to go through another move, and I had already gotten in some trouble at my last school – when I went to Dalton, I saw it as another game. It was fun getting attention from the younger Warblers. It was a challenge, trying to take over the group the way I did. Even harassing the older Warblers was about power; it made them uncomfortable and angry, and I enjoyed intimidating them."

Blaine glanced over at Wes; his friend looked like he wanted to comment but was restraining himself, judging by the thin line of his lips. Sebastian's face was flushed with shame now, and he was looking back down at his hands. Blaine understood why. The dynamics among the Warblers that year had been ugly, and Sebastian had been the instigator of most of the problems that occurred.

"Then you showed up that day, with the tickets for _West Side Story_," Sebastian said, raising his eyes to Blaine, "and I simultaneously liked you and hated you on sight."

Taken aback, Blaine laughed, and some of the tension in Sebastian's face eased.

"I can't say that I've ever had anyone tell me that before," Blaine chuckled.

"I wasn't expecting it either," Sebastian admitted. "I'd been completely prepared to hate you. I wasn't kidding when I told you the Warblers talked about you; they missed you so much. I grew to resent the very idea of you, this guy who was apparently polite, charming, kind, good-looking, and a fantastic singer. There was this huge hole in the Warblers when you left, and I could feel it even though I'd never so much as seen you. It made it easy to step in and try to fill some of the emptiness; they were all looking for the person they were missing."

Blaine's expression sobered; he had heard most of this before from various Warblers, once he had begun speaking to them again, but it was even sadder, somehow, to hear it from someone who had only been at Dalton after he had gone to McKinley.

"When you came into Warblers' Hall, the boys who had been there when you were part of the choir just _lit up_," Sebastian went on wistfully. "Then Nick finally pulled you into the song, and just like that, the hole was gone. Their cohesiveness was back, because the person they saw as their heart was back."

Blaine's eyes were burning, and he felt Kurt's hand creep into his; he didn't have to look at his partner to know that Kurt was deeply moved as well. Colin had an arm wrapped around Sebastian's shoulders and was holding him as closely as their chairs allowed.

"I hated you," Sebastian said, with a short, self-deprecating laugh, "because you were everything they said you were, and I could see it even before you spoke to me. You were so happy to see every one of the boys, and you tried to be kind to me just because I was one of them. I wanted to be your friend, and I hated myself for wanting it. So I became determined to get under your skin, to break you away from the Warblers and this mysterious boy who clearly held your heart. If I could do that, I was better than you, and I didn't need your friendship."

Sebastian turned to Kurt. "When I met you, Kurt, that day at the coffee shop, my reaction was a little more straightforward, but even then it was mixed."

"Hatred," Kurt said bluntly, but he was smiling, and his directness made Sebastian laugh. "Unadulterated hatred."

"Pretty much," Sebastian agreed, his lips twitching. "Not entirely, though. You were the first person I had met in a long time who was willing to say exactly what he thought of me and who wasn't fooled by any of my attempts at manipulation. I hated you even more for being so clear-sighted, but in a small corner of my mind I respected it – very, very grudgingly. I still hated you, but I had to give you a modicum of credit for your honesty."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kurt said cheerfully. So that was why Sebastian had asked him to speak; Sebastian knew that Kurt would be unwaveringly honest with him. He had known it even in the middle of their teenage feud, and so Kurt's opinion mattered to him. It was a little unbelievable.

"After the slushie incident, and the warnings from Headmaster Davis, I got some help. I found a counselor," Sebastian admitted.

"That was brave of you," Kurt said softly.

Sebastian shook his head. "Not really. I was terrified. What happened in the garage – and your little intervention with Santana and the New Directions – really made me look at what I had done to myself. I realized several things at once. I didn't have anyone who would defend me the way Blaine had defended you," he said, his gaze flickering momentarily to the dark-haired singer, then back to Kurt. "He loved you so greatly, and he had jumped in front of that slushie without a second thought. There wasn't a single person in my life at that point who would have done that for me. I had pushed everyone away. I realized right then that if I didn't find some other way to function, I was going to self-destruct. I was tired of being unhappy, of being in trouble and hurting people, and I knew I had to fix those problems if I ever wanted to get my life on track. More than anything, I had to learn how to let people in again. It took a long time, but it made all the difference in the world."

"I'm glad," Kurt said compassionately.

"So am I," Sebastian murmured. Colin leaned over and placed a kiss on his temple, still holding him tightly.

"What happened to Dave Karofsky made a difference, too," Sebastian added after a moment, his voice low. "I don't – I don't know if Dave ever told you, but I was part of the problem for him. We saw each other at Scandals, and I wasn't – I wasn't at all nice to him. It was why I tried so hard to help at Regionals senior year."

"Everything got better for Dave," Kurt reassured him. "It really did. I stayed in touch with him during senior year and through the summer, and my father talked a lot with Paul Karofsky after that, helping him through some of the more challenging aspects of having a gay son in Ohio. Once I went to New York I didn't hear from Dave as much, but Dad always lets me know when he comes into the shop. He got a football scholarship, got out of Ohio. He met a man named Paul. He's apparently very happy."

"I apologized to him," Sebastian said, barely audibly. "I went to the hospital before he was released. It was incredibly awkward, and I could barely articulate what I wanted to say, but he understood. He forgave me. It took me a lot longer to forgive myself – for what I did to him and to you," he concluded.

"It's so hard to do what you did," Blaine observed gently. "To change your life, to start over without any kind of support system or encouragement from anyone. Kurt's right. It was brave. I had the Warblers, and Kurt and I had each other, but it takes even more strength to do it on your own."

"I had help, too, eventually," Sebastian acknowledged, looking at Colin. "I wasn't alone forever."

A smile spread over Blaine's features as he looked at the pair, and he reached a hand over the table to his former nemesis. "You know, you could have told us all of this years ago and we would have been friends long before now," he said, deliberately lightening the moment.

Sebastian looked at Blaine's proffered hand and then slowly reached out and shook, smiling back. "Duly noted. Better late than never, right?"

"Definitely," Blaine agreed.

"The same goes for me," Kurt said warmly, holding out a hand. "Friends?"

"Friends," Sebastian concurred, shaking again. He felt overwhelmingly relieved. After so many years of regretting his actions and hoping to make amends, he had finally been given the chance to do so, and he was grateful.

The girls reappeared at that moment, their quick eyes taking in everyone's expressions. Kurt could see them let out sighs of relief. David also reappeared, looking a bit flustered.

"Sorry," he apologized. "There was a bit of a snafu backstage. You two are up next," gesturing to Kurt and Blaine, "and Blaine, the group from sophomore year is after your duet."

Blaine grinned, standing up. "I believe you and I have an appointment, good sir," he said gallantly, reaching out his hand for Kurt's.

"I believe you are right," Kurt responded, placing his hand in Blaine's. He stood as well, turning to the table full of friends. "We'll be back. You might lose your bet on this number, Wesley."

Wes shook his head. "The two of you are never going to make me cry. Not going to happen. I made it through 'Candles.' I'm immune."

"We'll see," Kurt smirked, and he and Blaine headed for the wings.

Wes leaned over to Sebastian and Colin, his eyebrows raised and his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Have you ever seen these two sing a duet?"

"Occasionally over Skype," Colin said. "Even when they were singing casually, it was fairly impressive."

"They are impressive, without a doubt, but they take it to a whole new level in performance," Wes said. "You?" he asked Sebastian, smiling at the tenor. Although he had been furious at the time over what Sebastian had done to his friends, the story Wes had just heard moved him. Sebastian needed supportive friends as much as Blaine and Kurt once had.

Sebastian shook his head. "You know I didn't. We were all too busy hating each other in high school for them to sing in front of me, except in competition and at the "Michael" sing-off, and they never did a duet with the New Directions. I only heard them sing as part of a group. I'm guessing they take over the room?"

Wes laughed, nodding. "Let's just say you're about to get a demonstration of why you couldn't break them up, even back then."

"It's true," Mercedes said, leaning in and giving Sebastian a welcoming smile. The boys had clearly forgiven him, so she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. "At Regionals our junior year, they were adorable and crazy talented, and they've only gotten better."

At that moment, the lights went back down, and David appeared at the microphone as servers began bringing out the next course. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Dalton's very own Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel!"

Amidst cheers, Blaine and Kurt walked out from the wings, this time both clad in immaculate white-tie tuxedos. They bowed, then went over to the resplendent Bösendorfer baby grand that now sat in the middle of the stage.

Before he sat down at the piano bench, Blaine clasped Kurt's hands in his own, leaning over next to Kurt's ear so that they would be unheard by the audience.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too," Kurt whispered back. "Always."

Blaine felt Kurt smile, and he squeezed Kurt's hands tightly before sitting down, flipping his coattails out from underneath him and placing his fingers on the keyboard. He created a soft, aimless melody on the keys while Kurt went and retrieved the microphone, bringing it back over to the piano.

"You know, we frustrated Wes and David to no end by refusing to tell them what we were singing tonight," he began, eliciting a laugh from the audience. "Partly, of course, it was simply to foil whatever scheme they had in mind" – more laughter – "but it was also because we chose each of these songs for a specific reason. Each one strikes a chord, if you will. This one felt particularly appropriate on many levels."

"When Blaine and I were both at Dalton," he continued, "our Warbler friends almost despaired that we would never get together."

"There was no 'almost' about it!" Nick called from the audience, and both men onstage laughed with the onlookers. "You two were hopeless!"

"So you said many, many times," Blaine said dryly, speaking into the small mic anchored to the piano.

"That was the constant refrain," Kurt said with a grin. "We were hopeless. Blaine was oblivious, I was timid, we stole longing looks when the other's back was turned, we couldn't stay away from each other but were a million miles apart. I think we heard every possible variation of those themes from every single Warbler – though not when we were both in the same room, of course."

"Some of the variations were more than a little creative, too," Blaine chuckled.

"The truth of it was, though," and Kurt's voice grew softer, more tender as he looked at the man at the piano, "that we were both scared. We were both insecure and terrified. Neither of us wanted to lose the best friend we'd ever had, the most important person in each of our lives, by asking for too much."

"What it took us months to realize – and it took me far longer than Kurt, as the Warblers knew," Blaine revealed, his voice full of emotion, "was that by refusing to ask for more, we were also passing up the chance for something so much greater, for a very deep love based in friendship and trust. When we finally took that leap, it felt more right than either of us had ever imagined."

He looked up at Kurt then, and Kurt could see that Blaine wasn't sure he could speak anymore. Kurt smiled at him and nodded, understanding, and after a few bars Blaine's improvisation became a definitive melody. Kurt turned toward their audience, lifting the microphone to take the first verse.

_Lying here with you so close to me_

_It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe  
>Caught up in this moment<br>Caught up in your smile  
><em>

He remembered so clearly the first time he and Blaine had kissed, in the common room while he was decorating Pavarotti's casket. He had been dreaming of kissing Blaine for months (truthfully, since the day he met him during his impromptu spying trip to Dalton) and the reality was so much better than anything his dreams had conjured up. They had become such close friends, they had struggled through so many misunderstandings with honesty and trust, that when they finally did kiss, they knew it had the potential to mean everything.

"_Why did you pick me to sing that song with?"Kurt asked hesitantly. He had wanted to know for days. Why did Blaine want to sing with __**him**__? Why had he practically demanded that they do a duet together at Regionals? Their voices suited one another very well, true, but the determined, vehement Blaine he had seen in that Warblers' meeting was a different Blaine, one who was resolutely trying to change . . . something. Kurt just wasn't sure what. _

"_Kurt, there is a moment when you say to yourself, 'Oh there you are. I've been looking for you forever.'"_

_Blaine's voice was incredibly earnest, shaking just the slightest bit, and Kurt could feel his heart speeding up as he tried to convince himself that this was really happening. He couldn't breathe. Blaine was so beautiful, and Blaine was holding his hand and looking adorably nervous . . . but Kurt had gotten his hopes crushed so many times. He didn't want to lose his best friend because he couldn't control his feelings. _

"_Watching you do 'Blackbird' this week, that was the moment for me . . . about you. You move me, Kurt. And this duet would just be an excuse to spend more time with you."_

_Kurt was sure that even if he hadn't been able to hear Blaine's voice, he would have been able to tell everything Blaine was feeling just by looking into his eyes. They were amazingly expressive. Blaine was terrified that Kurt would push him away, would reject him, but he was also determined to tell Kurt how he really felt, no matter what his reaction. Kurt just hoped that his own eyes were saying all the things he couldn't; his throat was so thick and his heart so full that he didn't think he could form a coherent sentence. The two boys gazed at one another for a long moment before Blaine leaned in, and Kurt had just enough time to let his eyes drift shut before Blaine's lips were on his. They were extraordinarily soft and smooth, and if Kurt thought he couldn't breathe before, he was suffocating now – but he would gladly go without oxygen forever if it meant he could keep doing this, kissing Blaine and feeling as though he might fly to pieces with the joy and the rightness of it._

_Warmth spread from his lips down through the rest of his body, and Kurt knew this was how kissing __**should **__feel – not brutal or forced, not repulsive or frightening, but as though you had connected to someone you hadn't known you were missing.  
><em>

Blaine stood up from the piano and took his microphone with him, letting the band's accompanist take over for him as he found a place next to Kurt and sang the second verse. Looking into his partner's blue eyes, he knew they were thinking of the same moment – it was the reason they had chosen this song to being with.

_I've never opened up to anyone  
>So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms<br>We don't need to rush this  
>Let's just take it slow<em>

_Kissing Kurt was – Blaine couldn't find the words to describe it. Like fireworks, like home, like being loved and cherished and needed all at once. It was everything he had thought it would be, but a million times more potent – and he'd taken so long to allow himself to imagine it at all. He felt Kurt's hand come up to rest on his cheek, and the skin there tingled and flushed under Kurt's touch. _

_He had never felt so whole before._

_Mindful of the fact that he didn't want to overwhelm Kurt – after all, it was the first kiss Kurt had ever had that mattered, that was hopefully beautiful instead of repugnant – Blaine pulled back slowly. Kurt looked stunned, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his eyes wide and bright with happiness, and Blaine was sure he looked equally amazed. It was so much, almost too much to take in, all of the emotion contained in that touch of lips. A sudden wave of giddiness and euphoria swept over him. He had done it; he had finally realized what he felt and told Kurt. All of his fears of being rejected had been unfounded. They had really just kissed._

_Blaine's cheeks went pink as Kurt stared at him, and he ran a hand over his face and through his hair self-consciously, letting out something between a sigh and a laugh. "We should – we should practice," he said with a little smile._

"_I thought we were," Kurt said, his voice still breathy but his smile teasing, and __**oh**__, did Blaine love that he could still be wonderful, witty Kurt after a kiss like that. _

The two men onstage looked into each other's eyes and smiled before turning to the audience, and their joy was palpable to everyone in the room. Mercedes sniffled, her eyes bright, and she nudged Sebastian and Colin. "See?" she said knowingly. "You wonder sometimes how the two of them made it through everything, and then they do – _this_," she commented, gesturing around them. Rachel and Wes were leaning on each other, Rachel's head on Wes's shoulder and his head on her hair. Jeff and Nick were holding hands, their linked fingers resting in Nick's lap. David still had his arm around his wife's shoulders. Sebastian found that he could hardly tear his eyes away from Blaine and Kurt. They were so wrapped up in the music and each other that nothing else existed for them. They joined their voices together for the chorus, and Sebastian had to admit they sounded stunning.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
>Just a touch of the fire burning so bright<br>No, I don't want to mess this thing up  
>I don't want to push too far<br>Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
>Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life<br>So baby I'm all right, with just a kiss goodnight_

_They reached for each other again almost at the same moment, and this second kiss was no less sweet than the first, but it was fiercer, as if they both needed to prove that what they were feeling was real. Suddenly Blaine's hands were on Kurt's shoulders, and Kurt's hands were in Blaine's hair, and their bodies were only inches apart. Kurt ran one hand down the back of Blaine's head until it rested on his neck, under his jaw, and Blaine shivered at the sensation. He tugged at Kurt until the countertenor stood, and Blaine's arms went around him almost instinctively. Kurt's free arm found its way under Blaine's blazer and wrapped around his waist in its turn, and Blaine almost gasped from the warmth of it, from the feelings of both need and safety that came with having their bodies closer._

_Eventually – though Blaine could never have said how long it had been - they broke apart, panting, and Blaine rested his forehead against Kurt's. _

"_That was amazing," he said softly, and Kurt hummed happily in agreement, his hands skimming Blaine's collar._

"_Thank you," Kurt said, and Blaine's expression changed to one of puzzlement as he lifted his hand to stroke Kurt's cheekbone._

"_For what?" he asked gently. "Kurt, if anything, I should be thanking you. You have been so patient, you've waited for me, and you've never stopped being my friend throughout all of this. I have come close to permanently ruining this more times than I want to think about, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do."_

"_For – for being you," Kurt answered, his voice wavering. "For trying to help and protect me when you hardly knew me. For being my best friend. For being brave enough to say what you were feeling – for making all of this so beautiful. I waited because I wanted this chance with you, Blaine. I wanted it more than I've ever wanted anything in the world. There is no one I trust with more of myself than you. Just - promise me that if this doesn't work out, somehow, that we'll still be friends. I know you think that you're the only one of us who is scared of that possibility, but you're not. It terrifies me, Blaine."_

"_I promise," Blaine said, pressing another brief kiss to Kurt's lips. "Best friends, first and always."_

They had kept that promise, Kurt reflected as he and Blaine finished the chorus and he moved into the bridge of the song on his own. It had saved them from making disastrous mistakes more than once. In the face of difficulties or disagreements, they had managed to tackle every problem with the honesty that had always defined their friendship. While it was often painful, it always seemed to strengthen them in the end.

_I know that if we give this a little time  
>It'll only bring us closer to the love we want to find<br>It's never felt so real, no it's never felt so right  
><em>

Sebastian had really been the first true test of their relationship. Kurt had hated him as much for how uncomfortable he clearly made Blaine as for his overly suave manners and slick manipulation of others, and he had made his feelings clear to Blaine in no uncertain terms.

"_I don't like him, Blaine; I don't like the way he looks at you or talks to you. He has a ruthless streak."_

_Blaine sighed, looking around the empty hallway outside the choir room quickly before taking Kurt's hands. "Look, I know that he comes on a little strong, and I don't like it either, but I think he's just looking for friends. Dalton can be overwhelming when you first transfer. He asked me for help because he had heard about me from the other Warblers, and I don't feel right saying no to that. He wants to make a good impression on the Council, and if I can help the Warblers a little even though I left, that's a good thing, right?"_

_Kurt shook his head, struggling to rein in his frustration. "Helping the Warblers might be a good thing, but Sebastian doesn't need help, Blaine. He's after you, for whatever reason. I don't know if he sees you as a conquest, if he's looking to break the two of us up just for the fun of it, or if he sees destabilizing you as a way of giving the Warblers some kind of competition advantage. It might be a combination of all three." _

"_And you don't trust me?" Blaine said incredulously, his own temper flaring."Kurt, you know I can take care of myself in a fight."_

"_I always trust you," Kurt said gently, raising a hand to Blaine's cheek. "I don't trust __**him**__. I don't know what his motives are, I don't know what he's hoping to gain, and I don't want him to hurt you. It's not a physical fight I'm worried about; I don't think it's Sebastian's style to throw a punch. Just be careful around him?"_

_Blaine looked into Kurt's worried blue eyes, and his own eyes softened as he saw the genuine concern and fear there._

"_I promise, Kurt," he said reassuringly, leaning their foreheads together. "I don't think Sebastian is capable of anything really terrible, but I will be careful."_

"_I wish I had your faith in human beings, Blaine Anderson," Kurt answered._

Of course, Kurt's misgivings had been justified, no matter how much he had hoped to be wrong. After that conversation had come the terrible night at Scandals, and the first time he and Blaine had stopped talking since Rachel's house party fiasco. The Scandals fight was also their first serious argument as a couple, and Kurt had been terrified. They were both upset and humiliated, but if they couldn't talk about it, what chance did they have at keeping their relationship intact? Kurt couldn't even find it within himself to be angry after his one furious outburst in the parking lot. He was hurt, yes, but he was also utterly bewildered by how everything had gone so terribly wrong, and worried sick about Blaine being by himself and intoxicated. He had followed Blaine and coaxed him back into the car, pushing away the million thoughts crowding his mind in favor of getting Blaine home safely. Blaine had been silent and angry, stiff as a poker in the passenger seat, and he had left the vehicle with a curt farewell when Kurt had dropped him off.

Kurt had driven home and cried himself to sleep. He adored Blaine; he loved him so much it sometimes felt as though his heart couldn't contain it all. He _did_ want to be with Blaine, though he hadn't wanted their first time to happen in the backseat of a car, when his feelings were raw with hurt and insecurity and Blaine was more than a little drunk. It still awed him that Blaine, gorgeous Blaine with his huge heart and his soulful eyes, loved and wanted _him_, of all the people in the world. How had they gone from whispered endearments and tender touches, carefully setting boundaries and making sure they were both comfortable, to fighting about having sex?

The awkwardness the next day had been almost unbearable. They couldn't look at each other in the classes they shared. While they had still sat together in glee, there had been no affectionate looks or hand holding. _West Side Story_ rehearsal had been full of ashamed glances and failed attempts at conversation. Even when one of them had tried to address the other, neither of them could find the words. Explanations and apologies died half-formed; sentences were left incomplete. At the end of the night, they had separated with one confused, longing glance.

The second day after Scandals, classes had gone by in a blur, and the cast was in a flurry of last-minute preparation and review for their opening night. Kurt had dashed home and swallowed a sandwich at Carole's insistence before hurrying back to school to help set the stage and run through some of his dance steps. Blaine hadn't left; his dark head was buried in a script when Kurt arrived, and they passed each other when Kurt was done with his rehearsing and Artie called the Sharks and Jets to review the rumble scene.

It wasn't until the curtain was about to go up that Kurt managed to find Blaine in the wings. His stomach was twisted with uncertainty, but Blaine's eyes lit up with a painful kind of hope when he saw Kurt approaching. Kurt reached out and took Blaine's hands in his own.

"Break a leg," he whispered, mindful of their proximity to the audience. "You're going to be wonderful."

"You, too," Blaine whispered back, and Kurt saw his shoulders relax. For just a moment, it was all easy again. First and foremost, Blaine was his best friend, and he was Blaine's. Right now, they needed to remind each other that everything was going to be fine. He gave Blaine's hands a quick squeeze.

"I love you, and we'll talk later," he promised. "For now, go be the amazing Tony that I know you are." He smiled tentatively at Blaine and then leaned in and kissed him quickly before disappearing into the darkness.

"Later" had turned out to be much later, after the curtain call, after changing out of costume, after setting up the sets and the props for the next day, after almost everyone had left. Kurt had spent the entire performance in the wings when he wasn't onstage. Blaine was nervous, Kurt could tell, but he gave an excellent performance nonetheless, nailing the songs and only faltering once or twice in the dance steps. The Warblers were taking up a block of seats in the audience, and while Kurt scowled when he noticed Sebastian, he was glad that Blaine's friends from Dalton had come to support him. Kurt's heart had warmed as he watched his boyfriend project Tony's optimism and joy to the audience, and the warmth had slowly turned to awe. By the end of the show, when Tony had desperately tried to stop the rumble and then hidden in the basement of the drugstore, when he had heard of Maria's death and despaired, when he had run out into the streets screaming for Chino to take him, too, Blaine had the entire audience in his hands. Kurt had tears in his eyes as the curtain fell, and not just from the tragic ending of the play. All he could think of was how fortunate he was to have Blaine, how lucky he was to love and be loved by him. He couldn't stand the distance between them anymore. No matter how much they had hurt each other, Blaine was still his best friend and the man he loved. He wanted, more than anything, to simply _show_ Blaine how much he was loved, to be as close to him as one human being could be to another.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
>Just a touch of the fire burning so bright<br>And I don't want to mess this thing up  
>I don't want to push too far<br>Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
>Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life<br>So baby I'm all right, with just a kiss goodnight  
><em>

_I don't want to mess this up_. Kurt vividly remembered the first time Blaine had said that at the Lima Bean. He had understood it, intellectually, then; he had shared the fear that their friendship might not remain intact if they tried to be something more. However, the longer he and Blaine were together, the more they endured and the more they loved each other, the more Kurt _felt_ it. He didn't want to lose the love blossoming between them; he didn't want to let Blaine go; he wanted Blaine in his heart and under his skin so that he would never lose him. He wanted to give the same gift to Blaine.

When they made love that first time, after opening night, it couldn't have been any more perfect. Under the cozy eaves of Blaine's room, they had slowly mapped each other's bodies with lips and tongues and hands. The dim lights had made their skin glow and their eyes sparkle. They had gently removed their clothing piece by piece, marveling at the beauty they found beneath. They had kissed each other through the moments of awkwardness or insecurity, whispering soft reassurances. Kurt had known that Blaine's eyes were quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but they took on a new dimension that night as Blaine's love and trust were laid completely before him, and Kurt could only cherish those gifts, with wonder and gratitude and infinite tenderness. He had done everything in his power to convey the strength of his feelings back to Blaine, to show the depth of his love through his body as well as his words. They had both grown more skillful and practiced with time, but neither of them had ever forgotten the precious feelings of safety, adoration, and trust that mingled with their love and passion.

As he and Blaine launched into the final chorus of their song, Kurt reached out and took Blaine's hand in his own, and he was rewarded with a dazzling smile from his partner. For a moment, time flickered and merged. Kurt saw the Blaine Warbler who had sung "Candles" with him, the Blaine who had transferred to McKinley for him, who had made their first time together exquisite simply by being his wonderful, tender self – but he also saw the Blaine who was singing with him now, older, wiser, and even more beautiful. The Blaine who had come with him to New York, who had comforted him after every audition rejection, who had been in the audience on every opening night, who had haunted his bedside when he was ill and as he recuperated. They were both the same people they had been in high school, but with more experiences, joys, and sorrows that had matured them and made them stronger than ever. Love flowed between them like a current, warm and strong and all-encompassing, and Kurt knew that no matter what else life held for them, they would weather it together.

As the last notes left their lips and the applause began, he caught Blaine's eyes and silently tried to project every loving thought and memory to him. He soundlessly mouthed a question.

_Just like the song?_

Blaine's smile was softer this time and his eyes shone. Kurt knew he understood when his reply was immediate.

_Like the song._


	4. Memories

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of _Glee_; it all belongs to 20th Century Fox, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, et al. I write these stories purely for enjoyment; no copyright infringement is intended. The songs, of course, are not mine either, and all due credit goes to the wonderful writers and performers of those songs.

**Author's Note: **I apologize to all of my readers for the hiatus this story has been on. I can only say that RL has been awful, that I have been sleepless and stressed and well beyond my considerable capacity for work, and hope that you all will forgive me and continue to love this little AU of mine. As always, thanks to my lovely friend WickedForGood13 for the beta and the constant encouragement. One more chapter to go after this, lovelies.

* * *

><p><strong>A Warblers' Reunion – Chapter Four<strong>

As the pair of them left the stage to tremendous applause, Kurt caught sight of someone in the wings, and his happy smile became even brighter. He tugged on Blaine's hand, still in his own from the end of their performance, and Blaine made a soft noise of surprise as Kurt pulled him aside into the heavy curtains lining the stage.

"Kurt, what's going on?" Blaine asked with a little laugh, looking at Kurt's dancing eyes.

Kurt reached out for Blaine's other hand and clasped both of his partner's hands in his own. "All of our planning for this reunion has been about surprises – mostly surprising Wes and David," Kurt acknowledged with a grin, "but not just surprises for them. I have a surprise for you, too."

Blaine lifted his eyebrows inquiringly, and Kurt could see the curiosity and excitement in them. "What did you do?"

Kurt turned and beckoned to the shadowy figure he had seen, and as the person stepped into the dim light, Blaine's heart leapt into his throat.

"Cooper!" he cried, flinging himself into his brother's arms. Cooper laughed and caught him, spinning Blaine around in a hug before setting him down.

"Coop, what are you doing here?" Blaine exclaimed. "You're supposed to be in California – you're supposed to be in the middle of filming!"

"I was," Cooper said mischievously, "but I used my natural charm and persuaded them to give us a day off. I wasn't about to miss this."

Blaine laughed again, joy radiating from his expression. "I can't believe it," he said incredulously. He looked over at Kurt, who was smiling fondly at the brothers' interaction. "How did you make this happen?"

"I knew you would want him to be here for this," Kurt said quietly, beaming at Cooper. "I called and told him about our plans, and he pulled a million strings to actually get here."

Blaine's eyes filled with tears, and he reached up to hug Cooper again. "Thank you. I'm so glad you're here," he murmured.

Cooper hugged Blaine closely in return. "I promised you, didn't I? I meant that promise, Blaine."

Blaine nodded against his shoulder. "I know."

_Blaine hugged Cooper tightly as they stood in the security line at Port Columbus International Airport. Even though Cooper had lost his audition for the Michael Bay film, he had commitments in Los Angeles that he had to keep. He had booked a flight that would get him back to California the same morning he had to be back, just so that he could stay with Blaine as long as possible._

"_I'm going to hold you to what you said in the auditorium," Blaine said, his voice muffled against Cooper's shoulder._

"_What, about teaching you proper technique so you can be a star?" Cooper said teasingly, ruffling Blaine's hair._

"_No, idiot," Blaine grumbled, halfheartedly shoving at Cooper's shoulder even though he didn't loosen his other arm, which was around Cooper's waist. He raised his head to look at Cooper, and Cooper's heart twisted at the vulnerability in his brother's eyes._

"_Friends, right?" Blaine asked softly, hesitating over the words. "I don't – I don't want to lose you again, Coop."_

_For once, Cooper thought, he had to do this right. He swallowed down his usual impulses to deflect and make light of serious moments, and he took Blaine by the shoulders._

"_Listen to me, B," he said solemnly. "It doesn't matter where I am, or where you are; we are always brothers and always friends. I haven't been there for you the way I should have been, but that stops right now. I will be there when you graduate next year. I will be there for as many holidays as we can manage. I will be there when you marry that gorgeous, adorable boyfriend of yours – don't bother to deny it," he grinned as Blaine blushed, smiling shyly and ducking his head. "I see how you look at him. I want to be there for all of it, B, for the good and the bad, and I will be, I promise. Anytime you need me, just call, okay?"_

"_Okay," Blaine nodded, hugging his brother again. "I'm going to miss you, Coop. I'm glad you came back."_

"_I'm glad I did too," Cooper said quietly, kissing the top of Blaine's head just as the boarding call for his flight came over the speakers._

"Besides," Cooper added, pulling back from their hug just a bit to grin at his brother, "I am a Dalton alumni and a former Warbler as well, even though I might not be the most famous Anderson to graduate from this institution. I'll just say I decided to crash the party."

"Don't be ridiculous; of course you are the most famous," Blaine said, rolling his eyes. "How many people watch your show every week?"

"Oh, a few million," Cooper said casually. "But I'm only on the small screen, baby bro; I can't claim to be either in Hollywood dramas or Broadway revivals."

"Not yet," Blaine said thoughtfully. "Maybe we need to work on that."

Cooper's eyebrows went up. "I'm all ears."

"Can you two be all ears with each other after the Warblers' number?" Kurt asked in fond exasperation. He took Blaine by the arm and tugged him toward the stage. "You. Singing. Sophomore choir. Go."

Blaine laughed, walking toward the Warbler alums who were starting to assemble on the stage and blowing a kiss at Kurt before straightening his blazer.

"Totally worth it," Cooper murmured.

"You knew it would be," Kurt said, smiling at him. "Come on. We'll have a better view from our table."

Kurt led the way down into the auditorium, navigating his way through the chairs until he was back where Rachel, Mercedes, Sebastian, and Colin were sitting. Wes and David were up on stage with Blaine, as were Jeff and Nick, so it was only the six of them for the moment.

Colin whistled when he caught sight of Cooper. "Kurt, who is this Adonis you have brought among us?"

"Oh, my God, don't feed his ego," Kurt moaned, burying his face in his hands. "He doesn't need it to be any larger, believe me."

"Cooper!" the girls cried, and before Cooper knew what was happening, he found himself surrounded by Rachel and Mercedes.

"Whoa, whoa, ladies, easy," he chuckled, wrapping an arm around each woman and bringing them close. "I missed you, too."

Rachel and Mercedes had both developed strong attachments to Cooper once he reappeared in Blaine's life. What had initially been schoolgirl crushes had turned into sincere sisterly affection, though Cooper knew that they were both right behind Kurt when it came to defending Blaine. Each of them had called him up to talk some blunt sense into him more than once, and while they occasionally drove him crazy, he wouldn't trade their love and scolding for the world.

"Kurt got you to come, didn't he?" Rachel demanded, turning around and swatting the arm of her best friend. "You didn't say a word!"

Kurt shrugged, unrepentant and grinning. "Surprises are better."

"Blaine had to be over the moon when he saw you!" Mercedes exclaimed, glancing up at the stage to Blaine's bright smile in the Warblers' chorus.

Cooper laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

Seeing the complete confusion on the faces of Colin and Sebastian, Cooper took pity on them and stretched out a hand. "Cooper Anderson. Dalton alum, actor, and original shining star of the Anderson family."

Colin's eyes went wide. "Cooper! You're Blaine's brother Cooper?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Cooper said wickedly. "Little guy never leaves me alone."

"Behave!" Kurt reprimanded him, but he couldn't help smiling.

"Colin Campbell," Colin introduced himself, and he and Cooper shook hands. "I was one of Blaine's flatmates at RADA."

"Oh, you're _that_ Colin," Cooper said with a grin. "I'm glad to finally meet you. Blaine used to tell me hilarious stories about you."

Colin laughed. "I work very hard to entertain. Oh, Cooper, this is my boyfriend Sebastian Smythe," he said, introducing Sebastian.

Sebastian smiled, and Kurt saw a glimpse of the old Sebastian from high school, though the smile was much more flirtatious and much less predatory. "Pleasure to meet you," he said admiringly. "What is it with the Anderson family genes?"

"Just lucky, I guess," Cooper chuckled. "I have my dad's coloring, and Blaine looks more like Mom, but we both got the smiles and facial structure."

"I'll say," Sebastian murmured, and Colin nudged him, grinning.

"Easy, darlin'," he said. "I don't think Cooper plays for our team."

Cooper shrugged, smirking. "My loss."

Kurt shook his head. "Be thankful Blaine is up there and not down here to be a witness to this," he said. "He would be mortified."

"It's all in good fun, Kurt," Cooper laughed. "Besides, embarrassing Blaine is one of my favorite pastimes. I'm missing a golden opportunity here."

"You're hopeless," Kurt said affectionately. "Make yourself useful and come help me carry some drinks, would you?"

"Sure," Cooper said easily, and he followed Kurt in the direction of the bar. Kurt stopped them, however, just before they reached the long lines in front of the bartenders, and put his hand on Cooper's forearm.

"Cooper, I'm only telling you this so that no one shocks you with it later and you react badly," Kurt said seriously. "Doesn't the name Sebastian ring a bell with you?"

Cooper's brows knitted as he thought. "Sebastian," he murmured. His eyes suddenly shot open to stare at Kurt, and Kurt saw his jaw tighten. "Not that Sebastian!? The one that tried to blind Blaine your senior year?"

"That's him, but –" Kurt started, reaching out a placating hand.

"That little punk!" Cooper seethed. "He was flirting with me! I'm going to go show him what happens when people hurt my brother, I swear –"

"No, you're _not,_" Kurt said firmly, taking him firmly by the arm and dragging him to an alcove. "You listen to me, Cooper Anderson. Sebastian is different now; he just had a very heartfelt talk with your brother and with me that was clearly difficult for him. He came here to apologize and try to be friends, and considering everything that happened between all of us, and everything that he's been through to even get to this point, that was an incredibly brave thing for him to do. You are not going out there and undoing all of that good for something that happened ten years ago and is water under the bridge."

Cooper glared at Kurt for a long minute before he sighed, unclenching his jaw and gently extracting his arm from Kurt's grip. "I'm okay. It's a good thing you told me, though."

"I can't imagine what made me think you would react badly if someone sprang it on you," Kurt said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"No idea," Cooper said, attempting to adopt his usual breezy tone, but not quite managing it.

"You're really okay?" Kurt questioned. "I'm not going to have to hold you back from throwing our drinks in Sebastian's face?"

"Darn, you saw through my master plan," Cooper joked halfheartedly. "It would have had such a nice, vindictive symmetry, too."

Kurt poked him in the upper arm. "Sebastian is a better person now. Be nice."

"You _think_ he's a better person," Cooper muttered.

"Yes, I think he is, and he deserves that chance. He's dating one of Blaine's good friends from London; are you really going to risk Blaine's wrath by hurting Colin's boyfriend? And just for the record, Blaine would be equally as upset if he _wasn't_ Colin's boyfriend."

"Would you?" Cooper said keenly.

Kurt sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Look, when I remember the boy that he was – I was so angry about what he did to Blaine, and I thought of all kinds of ways to get back at him for it. Even then, I couldn't do it. I had spent half my life being bullied, Cooper, and I couldn't bring myself to do anything physical or vengeful to the boy who had almost irreparably damaged the love of my life. I don't know if that makes me a good person. I just knew, somewhere in my heart, that it wasn't right to repay violence with more violence. And as it turns out, our non-violent intervention with the Warblers was what got Sebastian to see where his life was going. I couldn't have predicted that, but – I don't want to see anything bad happen to him. I might have been able to do it, then. I was certainly angry enough. I didn't, though – and Sebastian seems to genuinely have changed. He cares about Colin, and Colin cares about him. Anyone can see that. Sebastian came here and apologized to us. Isn't being friends with him, after all this time, so much better and more beautiful than revenge?"

Cooper was silent for a minute. "You are a good person, Kurt," he said quietly. "More than most of us, I sometimes think. I wouldn't have my brother back if it wasn't for you, and I never forget that."

"Thank you," Kurt said solemnly. "But you give me too much credit. You would have mended things, eventually. I just gave you a shove."

"A much-needed shove," Cooper retorted. "We could have been stymied for another decade if it had been totally left up to us. Blaine internalizes too much, and I was too self-absorbed – and too ashamed."

"I can't possibly compare to Blaine," Kurt said softly, looking up at the stage where the current group of Warblers, including Blaine, were taking their bows. "He's the kindest, most compassionate person I've ever known. He always has been."

"Me too," Cooper said, giving Kurt a one-armed hug and a smile. "But he's a stronger, more confident person for loving you and being loved by you, Kurt. Don't ever doubt that. I see it every time I see you two together."

Kurt nodded, and Cooper gave his bicep a squeeze. "Come on," the elder Anderson said. "Let's get those drinks, and we'll be just in time to catch the banter between Blaine and Colin. Plus, my adorable female fan club is waiting for me."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Rachel and Mercedes don't let you get away with anything, Cooper," he said emphatically. "And thank goodness for that. As if you needed anyone else fawning over you."

"They're both refreshingly direct and critical, it's true," Cooper chuckled. "Part of why I love them – not that I would ever tell them that," he added hastily, and Kurt chuckled.

"You'd get an overdose of direct and critical if you did – and I know how that would wound your fragile ego," Kurt needled him. Cooper just grinned, and the two of them stepped in line, waiting patiently until they could obtain drinks for the table. They used trays to carry back all of the glasses, working their way through the crowd, and when they came back to the others, all the rest of the former Warblers had returned from the stage.

Kurt slid an arm over Blaine's shoulders as he handed Blaine his tall glass of water, and Blaine beamed at him.

"Thank you, love. It will help since I'm supposed to solo next," he said, and Kurt nodded and placed a kiss on his hair.

"I know," he said with a smile. "We don't want you to be dehydrated."

Blaine smiled back and kissed him, and Colin made obvious gagging noises from his place at the table.

"Really, could you two be any more saccharine?" he said, but the sarcasm was colored with fondness, and Blaine merely rolled his eyes.

"You two are welcome to be just as annoying," he said, shooting a saucy grin at Colin and Sebastian. "No one is stopping you."

Sebastian snorted. "Not everyone can pull off adorable the way you two can. Though I'd be willing to try for scandalously hot," he said suggestively, aiming his comment at Colin.

"Aaand there's the Sebastian we know," Kurt drawled, but without any heat behind it. Sebastian just smirked at him, and Colin leaned over to give him a heated kiss.

"Later, darlin'," he said, his voice low. "I'll be sure to take you up on that. However, somehow I have a feeling we want to stick around for this," he said, sitting back and giving Blaine and Kurt a questioning stare.

Kurt shrugged with feigned innocence, and Blaine smiled. "Wait and see," he said. He stood up, taking one more long drink of water as he did so, and pulled his tuxedo jacket from the back of his chair. Wordlessly, he held out a hand to Kurt, and Kurt took it with a soft smile, the two of them clearly having an entire conversation in the space of a few seconds.

"How do they _do_ that?" Sebastian wondered aloud, watching them go.

Nick laughed at him gently, giving him a genuine smile. "Being with someone for over ten years can do that to you. Jeff and I can do it, too, though we're not usually quite so obvious about it."

"What Kurt and Blaine have is special, though," Jeff added solemnly. "You're not imagining that. Nick and I were together before they were, and we saw them falling for each other, but even we were surprised by how . . . _intense_ things were between them, right from the beginning."

Colin reached out and took his boyfriend's hand. "It's like they need each other to breathe," he observed, his voice quiet and almost reverential, Sebastian thought. "I was there when Blaine found out Kurt was sick, right before his year at RADA ended, and I've never . . . I don't ever want to see someone look that shattered, ever again."

Sebastian looked from his boyfriend to Cooper to Rachel, his entire face posing a question and a surprisingly painful feeling tugging at his heart. "Kurt was sick? What happened?"

He watched as the expressions of everyone at the table darkened. It was Cooper who finally spoke.

"I've never been so frightened for anyone in my entire life," he whispered. "I am so, so thankful that Kurt was strong enough to come back to Blaine. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't."

* * *

><p>As Kurt and Blaine walked toward the stage hand in hand, Kurt leaned over and planted a kiss on Blaine's cheek.<p>

"Do you want me down on the floor or in the wings?" he asked, and Blaine squeezed his hand gratefully.

"In the wings, please," he requested. "I'll be able to see you better."

"You wish is my command," Kurt said lightly, but Blaine could hear the profound tenderness in his voice and simply squeezed his hand again.

The two of them made their way to the wings, only to find that David had somehow slipped away and reached the stage ahead of them. He smiled at the pair and gave Blaine a thumbs up.

"Are you ready to do this?" he asked, and Blaine nodded.

"As I'll ever be," he answered. David patted his shoulder encouragingly, knowing that it wasn't like Blaine to be nervous, and went out to the stage to introduce him. Suddenly Kurt was in front of him, framing Blaine's face in his hands.

"I'm here, and I love you," he murmured. "Just remember that. I'm _here_. I'm fine."

Blaine reached forward and pulled Kurt into his arms, kissing him deeply and twining his hands in Kurt's hair. Kurt responded in kind, pulling him close and returning the kiss until they were both breathless and dizzy.

"I know you are," Blaine whispered. "I'm grateful for it every day. I love you so much."

"I love you too," Kurt whispered, giving him another quick kiss. "Here," he said, handing Blaine a bottle of water that he found nearby. "Take another sip of that."

Blaine took a couple of long swallows, straightened his jacket, and then gave Kurt a smile as clapping started from the audience and David re-appeared, motioning for him to go on. He strode out to the stage confidently and took a deep breath as he sat down at the piano. He could feel Kurt's eyes on him from the wings of the stage, and he focused on the feeling of that loving gaze and on the black and white keys in front of him. He struck the opening chords.

_When it rains it pours and opens doors  
>That flood the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry<br>And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love  
>That have to say goodbye<em>

And as I float along this ocean  
>I can feel you like a notion that won't seem to let me go<p>

He had chosen this song for a reason; it expressed one of the most wonderful and most terrible times of his life simultaneously, following as they had one on top of the other. The spring he and Kurt had finished at NYADA, Blaine had been accepted to a year-long residence program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. It was a goal he had pursued with absolute single-mindedness; he wanted the training in dramatic acting as well as musical theater, and there was no better place for that than RADA, with its British theater traditions that were centuries old. Kurt had supported him from the beginning, encouraging him to apply and to follow his dreams, but once the acceptance became a reality, the knowledge that they would have to be apart for a solid year was tremendously difficult for both of them. Blaine had adored London from the moment he had stepped off the plane in Heathrow, but the ache of missing Kurt was with him every day, and he knew Kurt had felt the same way. There had been endless e-mails between the two of them, and Skype chats at all hours as they negotiated both the time difference and their busy schedules.

_'Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me  
>And you make everything all right<br>When I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me  
>And I can always find my way when you are here<em>

They had both worked tremendously hard that late summer and fall, Blaine in classes and two major productions, Kurt in several small roles and as a costuming assistant for several other shows. Blaine had been challenged more than he had ever imagined and loved every minute of it, but there were days when he had been plagued with fatigue and doubt, longing for home and familiar places and Kurt. Kurt was his strength on those days, even when he wasn't physically present; all Blaine had to do was remember the faith that he saw in Kurt's eyes every day when they were together, and he would attack the work with a new determination. On the overscheduled days when they couldn't talk to each other, Blaine could hear Kurt's voice in his head, encouraging him, pushing him, offering suggestions, and he cherished the feeling of having Kurt with him, even though he was across an ocean, over three thousand miles away.

_And every word I didn't say caught up in some busy day  
>And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't have before<br>And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss  
>And pick you up in all of this when I sail away<em>

And while I float upon this ocean  
>I can feel you like a notion that I hope will never leave<p>

Kurt had contrived to come to London for Christmas, surprising Blaine. They had tried to make up for every missed kiss, every night spent without each other, in seven days that were filled to the brim with holiday sightseeing, lovemaking, and coffee dates. Blaine took Kurt to all of his favorite spots in the city – Notes Music and Coffee in Covent Garden; The Dog and Duck Pub in Soho, which was always crowded but full of friendly people; the top of St. Paul's Cathedral, full of breathtaking views; Hampstead Heath with its beautiful meadows, stunning even in winter; the Westminster Abbey Poet's Corner, with monuments to some of the most beloved authors in English; and Dress Circle, which Blaine had brought Kurt to as a particular surprise. The music shop had been in business for thirty years and specialized in London and Broadway musical theater and memorabilia. Kurt had adored it, carefully picking out CDs of Broadway and London casts to round out his already extensive collection.

Despite everything they had done, however, they both cherished most the opportunity just to be together and re-memorize each other, storing up touches, kisses, tender words, and joyful smiles. They knew they had another six months to get through before they would be together again permanently – and neither of them could have anticipated the wrenching homecoming that Blaine had experienced. That one beautiful, magical week had, it seemed to Blaine, given them strength for what was to come.

The spring term had been even busier – Blaine had landed the leading role of Claudio in RADA's production of _Much Ado About Nothing_, and Kurt had been part of a revival production of _A Chorus Line_. Their Skype sessions grew harder to schedule, and both of them were progressively more exhausted as the semester wore on. For the opening night of _Much Ado_, Kurt had sent Blaine a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, though he had not been able to leave his own show to come to Blaine's performances. He insisted on seeing the video of the production as soon as Blaine could get it to him. The first time they managed to talk after _Much Ado_ closed, a drained but triumphant Blaine had sat in front of his computer to greet his boyfriend, only to be shocked by how haggard Kurt had looked.

"_Blaine, I'm fine. I'm just tired; the show has been grueling."_

"_You're not fine, Kurt; you look like you could keel over any minute, and you haven't been eating. I can tell that you've lost weight; you look like a stick."_

"_I eat when I have time; I just don't have time," Kurt said tiredly. "The dance rehearsals have been endless; you know how much dancing happens in _A Chorus Line_. There are days that I've been at the theater for twelve solid hours, then gone back and done it all over again the next day. We were doing that for weeks before we opened. Eight shows a week is almost a relief."_

"_Please try to sleep and eat," Blaine begged. "You look terrible. I'm going to be home in six weeks, and I will take care of you then, I promise, but please try to take care of yourself in the meantime."_

"_I'll try," Kurt said with a wan smile. "I love you. Tell me about the closing, and the cast party, and everything."_

Four weeks after that conversation had come the phone call that had turned Blaine's world upside down. Burt had called him at the flat he shared with Colin and two other RADA classmates, and when one of his flatmates had come to get him, his heart had dropped through the floor.

"_Blaine," Sophie said, coming into the living room of their flat where he was chatting with Philip. Her pretty face was anxious, her lips turned down in a worried frown. "Kurt's father is on the phone."_

"_Burt?" Blaine said in surprise. He stood up abruptly, all the blood draining from his face as he looked at Sophie. "Soph, what's wrong?"_

"_I don't know," she whispered. "He just asked me to get you, luv, but he doesn't sound good."_

_Blaine ran down the short flight of stairs into the kitchen, seizing the phone from where it lay on the counter._

"_Burt?" he said worriedly into the receiver. "Burt, what's happened? I'm so sorry I didn't have my phone on; it was out of battery. Please tell me Kurt's okay, please tell me nothing's happened, I've been so worried about him –"_

"_Breathe, Blaine," Burt said firmly, and Blaine stopped talking, gripping the countertop until his knuckles were white and taking slow breaths. Sophie appeared at his elbow, rubbing his back, while Colin and Philip hovered uncertainly in the doorway._

"_Kurt's fine for now, but he's in the hospital here in New York," Burt continued slowly, once he was sure Blaine was calm enough to take the news. "He fainted during rehearsal yesterday, and it's – it's not good, kiddo."_

_Blaine felt his eyes fill with tears, and he tightened his lips, trying to control the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. The conditional "for now" terrified him, and Burt sounded absolutely exhausted. _

_By the time he was done talking with Burt, Blaine could only remember the key words of the conversation._

_Kurt. Hospital. Bacterial meningitis. Exhaustion. Serious fever. Delirium._

_He was dimly aware that Sophie's soothing touch on his back hadn't stopped, but he could barely hear Sophie's gentle inquiry through the roaring in his ears._

"_Blaine, luv, what's happened?" she said worriedly. "What's wrong with Kurt?"_

"_He's in the hospital," Blaine choked out. "He has bacterial meningitis. It's – it's really serious, Soph. I have to go home, they – they don't know if he'll – Oh, God. __**Kurt.**__"_

_Sophie gave a small cry of dismay at the news, and suddenly Blaine's legs gave from underneath him. Colin was there, catching him under the arms, before Blaine even realized he was falling; the Scotsman's long legs had made it across the room in two strides. Blaine sank to the floor with Colin supporting him, tears sliding down his cheeks as he tried to process what was happening. Kurt. His Kurt. His Kurt was in the hospital, so ill that they didn't know whether or not he would live._

_Sophie regained her composure almost instantly when she saw how distressed he was, shifting into caretaker mode. She knelt next to him, clasping his hands, and Blaine realized he was still gripping the phone receiver in a death grip. Sophie took it from him gently and looked over his shoulder at Philip, who disappeared for a moment and returned with Blaine's cell phone, which had been charging in the living room. Colin settled on the floor next to him, keeping an arm around his shoulders._

"_Blaine, sweetheart, who do you need? Who can we call for you?" Sophie said coaxingly. Blaine knew she was trying to get him to focus, and somewhere in his mind he recognized that he was on the verge of panicking. That wouldn't help Kurt. He had to be able to function long enough to get home._

_He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then did it again. When he finally spoke, he hardly recognized his own voice. He sounded hoarse and terrified and __**young**__._

"_Cooper," he said desperately, reaching out and taking his phone from Colin. "I need Cooper."_

Cooper had dropped everything to come to New York and be with Blaine, wheedling and arguing and calling in favors to give himself eight days away from L. A. Luckily, Blaine had only had two weeks left at RADA, and given the seriousness of Kurt's condition, his professors were willing to arrange for his final, evaluative interviews to be done over the phone. Sophie, Philip, and Colin had been invaluable, booking flights for him, promising to pack up and ship his possessions that couldn't go on the plane, and making sure he ate and drank over the two days that it took to arrange his departure. Sleep was almost impossible. Carole and Cooper had both met him at LaGuardia, and they took him directly to the hospital, knowing that it would be fruitless to try and persuade him to do anything else. Blaine sat at Kurt's bedside for days on end, praying to any powers in the universe that the man he loved with all his heart would come back to him.

'_Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me  
>And you make everything all right<br>And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me  
>And I can always find my way <em>

_Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plain overhead instead  
>It feels like it's impossible to fly<br>But with you I can spread my wings  
>To see me over everything that life may send me<br>When I'm hoping it won't pass me by_

When I feel like there's no one that will ever know me  
>There you are to show me<p>

If Blaine had needed any more certainty about how much he loved Kurt and how much he truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, he found it in the two weeks that it had taken Kurt to return to consciousness, in every moment that he spent memorizing the contours of Kurt's face, the exact coloring and softness of his fair skin, and the feel of Kurt's hand in his. Every moment that Kurt wasn't with him only made Blaine realize anew how much he had to lose.

Kurt was his touchstone, his other half, the one person who knew him inside and out and loved him for everything he was. Kurt knew his failings, his weak points, and his fears, and not only didn't blame him for them, but never exploited them, never used them against him. Blaine cherished every quirk, every small, odd, unconventional, and beautiful thing that made Kurt uniquely Kurt, and he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to try and live without the person who had become such an integral part of his being. He would have been utterly lost.

Kurt's eventual recovery had been slow, but nevertheless steady, and they had been overwhelmed with offers of help and support. Rachel spent every spare minute she had at Kurt's bedside, Carole stayed on even after Burt had to go back to Washington, their friends from NYADA had taken turns coming in to entertain Kurt and give Blaine time to eat and shower, and even Finn and Jennifer had shown up for an extended vacation of sorts. Since it was still summer, they both had some time to come to New York, and Kurt and Blaine had been grateful for their generally cheerful demeanors and willing caretaking.

After a great deal of persuasion by Kurt, Blaine had gradually started auditioning again, but not for anything that started immediately – he scoured the casting calls for shows that were starting two or three months in the future, and came home every night to make dinner and curl up with Kurt, taking comfort in simply hearing Kurt's heartbeat next to his ear. They created their own cocoon of safe space during those weeks, being gentle and considerate of each other to a degree that was unusual even for them, and rediscovering the myriad reasons they had fallen in love to begin with. They had dusted off their hopes and dreams, remembering why they had chosen their respective paths and the things they wanted to accomplish together. After the agonizing weeks at the hospital, Blaine felt as though he had been given a doubly precious gift – not only was Kurt alive and recovering, but also they had been given the chance to refocus, reprioritize, and strengthen their life together and their love for each other.

They made love again the night after Kurt went for his final check-up and was pronounced perfectly well and able to resume a normal schedule and normal physical activity; the doctor only cautioned him against sleep deprivation in order to prevent a relapse. They went to their favorite Italian restaurant to celebrate, and the owner had greeted them both with hugs and smiles, bringing them to their favorite table in the back corner and insisting on treating them to a bottle of wine. They indulged in everything over the two hours that followed, letting the wine warm their cheeks, letting their touches linger, permitting themselves the cannoli they both loved but almost never ordered, feeding each other bites and laughing as the filling left small traces on their fingers and lips.

On the walk to the subway and during the train ride home, they were pressed close together, hands twined together and arms wound around shoulders and hips, silent promises made with the tightening of fingers and the brush of soft kisses to temples and necks. Once they made it home and were safely ensconced in their bedroom, they removed each other's layers in nearly complete silence, aside from the occasional soft gasp or moan, a need for air or a touch to a sensitive spot. They spoke mostly with their eyes, and every inch of skin was re-explored, relearned, worshipped anew with a reverence that was almost painful, as they both tried to communicate their love and thankfulness for what had been saved, as well as the haunting awareness of what might have been lost.

As Blaine moved into the final chorus of the song, he struggled against the tears in his eyes, concentrating on the piano and the lyrics with renewed emotion as the memory of that night came back to him, overwhelming him with gratitude and love.

_When I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me  
>And you make everything all right<br>And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me  
>And I can always find my way when you are here.<em>

_When I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me  
>And I can always find my way when you are here.<br>And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me  
>And I can always find my way when you are here.<em>

He struck the final chords and bowed to deafening applause, smiling appreciatively and trying not to let his tears fall, but every bit of his sensory awareness was focused on Kurt, waiting in the wings for him, on the invisible cord that bound them together, that he could always feel pulling them back to each other.

When the applause lessened and Blaine could make his escape, he was in Kurt's arms in a few quick steps, breathing in Kurt's scent and holding him tightly, his face buried into the juncture between Kurt's neck and shoulder.

"No matter what else happens to us," he whispered, his voice breaking over the tightness in his throat, "I love you, Kurt Hummel. I've always loved you. I always will love you. Please don't leave me again."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Kurt murmured back. He rested a hand on the back of Blaine's head and kissed the hair near his temple. "I'm yours forever, Blaine Anderson. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."


End file.
